Lisa J. Leininger

Validation and Accuracy of FITBIT Charge: A Pilot Study in a University Worksite Walking Program

Introduction: Wearable physical activity (PA) monitors (e.g., Fitbit®) have become increasingly popular for both researchers and lay people alike. Recent studies have reported several Fitbit® models correlate with research grade monitors; however none have reported on the accuracy of Fitbit® devices. Furthermore, noneto date have examined the Fitbit® Charge model. Purpose: The primary purpose of this pilot study was to compare step counts assessed by Fitbit® Charge and a research grade accelerometer (i.e. Actigraph®). The secondary purpose of this pilot study was to compare minutes spent in each PA intensity (light, moderate, vigorous) assessed by Fitbit® Charge and Actigraph®.Methods: Participants (n=8) wore Fitbit® Charge and Actigraph® monitors for seven days. All analyses compared step counts and PA intensity assessed by both types of monitors. First, validity was examined through a series of bivariate correlations. Next, accuracy was investigated by a series of paired sample t-tests compared step counts and minutes spent in light, moderate and vigorous intensity activity assessed by Fitbit® and Actigraph® monitors. Results: Significant correlations were found for all study outcomes (p’s < 0.05). Significant differences were observed for step counts on all days and weekly total step count (p’s < 0.05). Significant differences were found on most days for light PA intensity (p’s < 0.05) and moderate intensity activity (p’s < 0.05), and one day for vigorous PA (p = 0.007). Overall accumulated weekly total of minutes were significantly different (p =0.014). Conclusions: Our results indicate that there are high correlations between Fitbit® and Actigraph®monitors. However, our examination of accuracy of Fitbit® Charge devices revealed that these monitors may overestimate step counts, light intensity PA, and vigorous intensity PA. Further research is needed to determine if Fitbit® Charge devices accurately assess PA. Thus, researchers should use caution if considering use of Fitbit® Charge.; ;

Differences in health promotion program participation, barriers and physical activity among faculty, staff and administration at a university worksite

Purpose – Health promotion programs (HPPs) are increasingly prevalent at universities due to the numerous documented benefits in other various work environments. However, universities are unique work environments with various job duties and responsibilities. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine differences in participation in university HPPs among faculty, staff and administration. Further, barriers to participation were examined as well as an analysis of those meeting weekly physical activity (PA) recommendations. Design/methodology/approach – An electronic survey was sent to all employees at a large, metropolitan university (n=3,603), that inquired about participation in the university HPP in the last six months and their perceived barriers to participation. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess PA amount, and thus, if the employee was meeting the weekly PA recommendations was determined. Findings – Results (n=308) indicated a difference in HPP participation ...

University Worksite Health-promotion Programs: An Opportunity for Experiential Learning

Worksite health-promotion programs (WHPPs) are prevalent in a variety of worksite settings, including universities, due to their numerous individual health and organizational benefits. Simultaneously, WHPPs provide many employment opportunities for kinesiology graduates. However, few students graduate with applied experience in worksite health promotion. The purpose of this article is to provide details on an innovative WHPP called the “Workplace Walk-off Challenge” (WWC), in which undergraduate kinesiology students are involved at all stages of the program in order to provide a valuable experiential education opportunity. The WWC is an annual, six-week walking competition open to all employees at a small California university. Employees assemble into teams of five and track steps with the use of pedometers. The WWC also includes several events, lunch-and-learns, and awards and prizes. Kinesiology students assist in designing, implementing and assessing the WWC as part of their learning experience in the Worksite Health Promotion course.

The ethics of exercise in eating disorders: Can an ethical principles approach guide the next generation of research and clinical practice?

Eating disorders (ED) are the most common psychiatric disorders afflicting young women1 and contribute to great detriments in psychological, social, and physical health.2, 3 Unfortunately, ED treatments tend to be long lasting, intensive, and expensive.4 Additionally, individuals with ED seeking treatment use healthcare services more frequently than non-ED individuals, thereby placing an added burden on the healthcare system.5 The severe nature of ED, high cost of treatment, and added healthcare burden provide rational support for examining efficacious, easily disseminated, innovative, and cost-effective ED interventions that may improve treatment outcomes. The multidimensional etiology of ED suggests that optimal interventions must also be multifaceted.6, 7 Therefore, it may be more effective to identify treatment strategies that impact both psychological and physiological processes and consequently impact the progression of multiple factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of ED. Accordingly, the comprehensive health benefits provided by exercise have led researchers to consider exercise as an ED treatment. It should be noted that exercise refers to a form of physical activity undertaken with intent to obtain a specific objective or desired outcome.8 Thus, distinguishing whether that objective is to facilitate symptoms of an ED (i.e., compensatory exercise) or to obtain a health outcome (i.e., therapeutic exercise) is paramount in individuals with ED. Several literature reviews of studies that used exercise in ED treatment have concluded that therapeutic exercise is a safe9 and potentially effective adjunct to ED treatment.10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 Moreover, a recent meta-analysis of studies that have examined exercise in the treatment of anorexia nervosa (i.e., underweight individuals for whom exercise has been previously restricted) found that nutritionally supported exercise resulted in no detrimental effects, distorted feelings about food and exercise were reduced, cardiovascular fitness improved, and there was no decrease in weight or other detrimental anthropometric outcomes.9 However, there is an ethical concern that any form of exercise may cause harm in individuals with ED, which has led many clinicians and researchers to recommend avoiding exercise in ED at all costs. For example, 97% of clinicians surveyed in the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand reported they believe that exercise is related to ED.16 Not surprisingly, a different study of how ED treatment centers approach physical activity found that exercise was generally considered harmful in ED, approximately one third of treatment centers did not assess exercise or physical activity, and that incorporating exercise into treatment was much less common in ED than treatment approaches for other mental health conditions.17 This lack of clarity may be due to ambiguous clinical recommendations in treatment manuals to address physical activity attitudes while also restricting physical activity.18 One possibility as to why therapeutic exercise has been overlooked in ED treatment may be the potential for unsupervised, compensatory exercise performed during times of severe nutritional deficiency to exacerbate ED pathology. This overly cautious view is not supported by the emerging literature on the therapeutic potential of exercise in ED treatment and further alienates individuals with ED from taking control of their own health. Moreover, it minimizes the role and will of individuals with ED in their recovery by ignoring the potential for exercise to be used as part of living a healthy lifestyle that matches socially determined norms. Simply stated, restricting all forms of exercise is an ethical issue because doing so eliminates autonomy, respect, empathy, and dignity19 for individuals with ED by preventing them from partaking in socially acceptable healthy lifestyle behaviors and take control of their recovery. Clinical and research efforts guided by the ethical principles of nonmaleficence, beneficence, respect for autonomy, and justice20 may be a better approach to empowering individuals with ED as they work toward recovery. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to present an ethical perspective for clinicians and researchers to consider for the use of exercise as a potential treatment modality for ED. Allowing such a view may provide opportunity to re-evaluate previously misunderstood or ignored aspects of the relationships among exercise, mental health, and physical health of individuals with ED.