Int J Sports Med 2011; 32(10): 761-764
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1279768
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Accuracy of the SenseWear Armband™ during Ergocycling

A.-S. Brazeau1 , A. D. Karelis2 , D. Mignault3 , M.-J. Lacroix1 , D. Prud’homme4 , R. Rabasa-Lhoret3
  • 1Université de Montréal, Nutrition, Montréal, Canada
  • 2Univesité du Québec à Montréal, Kinanthropology, Montreal, Canada
  • 3Montreal Clinical Research Institute, Platform of Research in Obesity, Diabetes and Metabolism, Montreal, Canada
  • 4University of Ottawa, School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ottawa, Canada
Further Information

Publication History

accepted after revision May 10, 2011

Publication Date:
12 September 2011 (online)

Abstract

The present study aims to show the accuracy of a portable motion sensor, the SenseWear Armband, for the estimation of energy expenditure vs. energy expenditure measured by indirect calorimetry during ergocycling. 31 healthy adults (52% women; age: 26.7±6.3 years; Body Mass Index: 23.9±3.3 kg/m2) completed a 45-min ergocycling session at 50% of their VO2peak. Despite a significant underestimation of 18.7±13.2 kcal during the first 10 min of the activity (T=5.06; p<0.001), we observed an overall good agreement between energy expenditure estimated by the SenseWear Armband during ergocycling and indirect calorimetry (260.3±80.1 vs. 287.8±97.1 kcal, respectively) (T=−2.148; p=0.04) and a significant intra-class correlation (r=0.81; p<0.001). The results of the present study indicate that the SenseWear Armband underestimated energy expenditure during a 45-min ergocycling session at a 50% VO2peak intensity, mainly during the first 10 min. Underestimation at the onset of the activity warrants further research.

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Correspondence

Dr. Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret

Montreal Clinical Research

Institute

Platform of Research in Obesity,

Diabetes and Metabolismé

110 avenue des Pins ouest

H2W 1R7 Montreal

Canada

Phone: + 1/514/987 5762

Fax: + 1/514/987 5670

Email: remi.rabasa-lhoret@ircm.qc.ca

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