Tracking 30-Day Physical Activity Behavior with Wearable Fitness Trackers in College-Aged Adults

Abstract

Introduction: Consumer grade, wrist-worn wearable fitness trackers (WFT) are commonly worn on a daily basis by college-aged adults. Objectively assessing college-aged adults physical activity throughout a 30-day period has not been well documented to accurately assess physical activity behavior. Methods: Fifteen college-aged participants (male n=7 and female n=9), completed the 30-day tracking assessment while wearing a wrist-worn WFT. The WFT was worn on the non-dominant hand, per manufacture guidelines and was to only be removed to charge the battery, at night during sleeping hours. Results: Throughout the 30 days, males accumulated more steps, expended more calories, and traveled a greater distance than their female counterparts, p < 0.005 for all. There were no main effects for step counts, daily caloric expenditure and daily total distance for days of the week (p ≥ 0.128 for all). However, there was a significant sex by day of the week interaction for daily steps (p = 0.005), but not total calories or total distance (p ≥ 0.096). Conclusions: Males were more active and expended more calories than females throughout 30 days of monitoring. However, the day of the week did not significantly alter physical activity and caloric expenditure.