Sedentary Thresholds for Accelerometry-Based Mean Amplitude Deviation and Electromyography Amplitude in 7-11 Years Old Children

• Published in: Frontiers in physiology Vol. 10; p. 997
• Main Authors: Gao, Ying, Haapala, Eero A, Vanhala, Anssi, Sääkslahti, Arja, Rantakokko, Merja, Laukkanen, Arto, Pesola, Arto J, Rantalainen, Timo, Finni, Taija
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 07.08.2019
• Subjects: accelerometry; electromyography; Physiology; posture; resting energy expenditure; sitting; standing; resting energy expenditure; accelerometry; standing; electromyography; posture; sitting
• ISSN: 1664-042X; 1664-042X
• DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00997

We investigated the ability of energy expenditure, movement sensing, and muscle activity to discriminate sedentary and non-sedentary activities in children. Thirty-five 7-11-year-old children participated in the study. Simultaneous assessment of oxygen uptake (V̇O ), triaxial accelerometry, and thigh muscle electromyography (EMG) were performed during eight different sedentary and non-sedentary activities including lying down, sitting-, standing-, and walking-related activities, which were performed in a random order. Mean values of V̇O , accelerometry, and EMG from the concurrent 2 min epochs during each activity were computed. Resting energy expenditure (REE) was measured during 30 min supine rest. Directly measured metabolic equivalent of tasks (METs, V̇O in activities/V̇O in REE) were calculated for each activity. Mean amplitude deviation (MAD) was computed for accelerometry. EMG was normalized for mean muscle activity during self-paced walking. The classification accuracy of METs, MAD, and EMG to discriminate sedentary activities from physical activities was investigated by receiver operating characteristic curves and optimal cut-offs based on maximal sensitivity and specificity. Mean (SD) REE was 5.0 ± 0.8 ml/kg/min. MET, MAD, and EMG values ranged from 1.0 to 4.9, 0.0020 to 0.4146 g, and 4.3 to 133.9% during lying down and walking at 6 km/h, respectively. Optimal cut-offs to discriminate sedentary activities from non-sedentary activities were 1.3 for METs (sensitivity = 82%, specificity = 88%), 0.0033 g for MAD (sensitivity = 80%, specificity = 91%), and 11.9% for EMG (sensitivity = 79%, specificity = 92%). In conclusion, this study provides applicable thresholds to differentiate sitting and standing and sedentary and non-sedentary activities based on METs, MAD, and EMG in young children.