Abstract presented at the Annual Meeting of the ACSM 2007, New Orleans, LA. USA

Does Clothing Affect the Accuracy of the SenseWear Pro Armband^TM to Estimate Energy Expenditure During Walking?

Kelli K. Davis, John M. Jakicic, FACSM, Alyssa D. Mealey, Lisa M. Mealey, Michael D. McDermott. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

There is a need for valid, objective measures of energy expenditure. The SenseWear Pro ArmbandTM is a portable energy expenditure device worn on the upper arm, with the measurement of heat flux being a significant contributor to the estimation of energy expenditure. Studies have not been conducted to determine if clothing that may cover the armband affects the accuracy of this portable device.

Purpose: To assess the accuracy of the SenseWear Pro ArmbandTM (SWA: Body Media, Inc.) for estimating energy expenditure (EE) during walking exercise while wearing a short-sleeved or long-sleeved shirt.

Methods: Fourteen subjects (BMI = 25.9±3.2 kg/m2; age = 24.9±p4.1 years) performed two exercise sessions lasting 20 minutes each. The SenseWear Pro ArmbandTM (SWA) was placed on the right arm, and energy expenditure was determined using an algorithm developed by the manufacturer. Indirect calorimetry (IC; Viasys Vmax Spectra) served as the criterion measure for energy expenditure. The exercise was performed on a

Results: There was no significant difference in energy expenditure during the 20 minute walking session while wearing a short-sleeved shirt between IC (102.5 ± 19.8 kcal) and SWA (98.0 ± 24.6 kcal); a 4% error when compared to IC. Similar results were demonstrated during the exercise session while wearing a long-sleeved shirt (IC = 100.0 ± 24.4 kcal versus SWA = 96.0 ± 18.9 kcal); a 4% error when compared to IC.

Conclusions: These results indicated that the SenseWear Pro ArmbandTM can accurately estimate energy expenditure during walking when performed at the speeds and grade assessed in this study. Moreover, it does not appear that clothing on the upper arm and body negatively impacts the estimation of energy expenditure using this device. Thus, the SenseWear Pro ArmbandTM may provide an accurate estimate of energy expenditure resulting from this common form of physical activity. Supported by the National Institutes of Health (R21 DK066150)

Publication: Abstract presented at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine 2007, New Orleans, LA. USA