The Utility of the CSA Accelerometer to Assess Daily Step Count Activity

An accurate assessment of physical activity is important for a variety of applications in public health research. Walking is encouraged as one of the most accessible ways to be physically active and accounts for the majority of daily physical activity, therefore, daily step counts may be a useful indicator of the volume of physical activity accumulated. The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of using the CSA accelerometer to assess step count activity in a free-living situation Concurrent validity of the CSA. was performed by comparing the daily step count data recorded by the CSA accelerometer to recorded step counts of three other popular instruments (DigiWalker, Pikachu, & Radio Shack pedometers). A Pearson product moment correlation demonstrated a strong relationship (p < 0.01) between the CSA step counts and the step-counter’s (DigiWalker, r = 0.97, Pikachu, r = 0.97, RadioShack, r = 0.86) The time-sampling capability and data storage ability of the CSA allow for a multidimensional (i.e. frequency, duration, and intensity) description of the stepping activity, which may aid researchers in establishing step count guidelines that correspond with other public health guidelines.