Background & aims
The objective of this study was to assess the validity of the individually calibrated Actiheart (a combined heart rate and movement sensor device), in pregnant women against indirect calorimetry in a laboratory setting.
Methods
Ten healthy pregnant women (aged 32.9 ± 3.2 yrs, pre-pregnancy BMI = 21.0 ± 2.4 kg/m2, 36.9 ± 2.4 weeks of gestation) walked at 3, 4, 5, and 6 km/h on a treadmill, cycled at 25 W and 50 W on an ergometer and stepped on and off a 15 cm high step. During each routine, AEE was measured simultaneously with the Actiheart (AEEa) and indirect calorimetry (AEEcalo). AEE measurements were compared with paired Student’s t-test, and their agreement with Bland and Altman plots.
Results
The mean AEEcalo was not significantly different from AEEa for any activity except for cycling at 50 W (−45 J/kg/min, p = 0.01). Cumulated AEEa and AEEcalo, combining all activities, were not different (p = 0.9). All data points (100%) fell within ±2SD for all activities except for walking at 6 km/h (89% of data points). All data points fell within ±2SD for the sum of all speeds of walking (3, 4, 5, and 6 km/h).
Conclusions
The Actiheart can be used as a valid method for AEE estimation in pregnant women