Accelerometer and GPS Analysis of Trail Use and Associations With Physical Activity
in Journal of Physical Activity and HealthBackground: Concurrent use of accelerometers and global positioning system (GPS) data can be used to quantify physical activity (PA) occurring on trails. This study examined associations of trail use with PA and sedentary behavior (SB) and quantified on trail PA using a combination of accelerometer and GPS data. Methods: Adults (N = 142) wore accelerometer and GPS units for 1–4 days. Trail use was defined as a minimum of 2 consecutive minutes occurring on a trail, based on GPS data. We examined associations between trail use and PA and SB. On trail minutes of light-intensity, moderate-intensity, and vigorous-intensity PA, and SB were quantified in 2 ways, using accelerometer counts only and with a combination of GPS speed and accelerometer data. Results: Trail use was positively associated with total PA, moderate-intensity PA, and light-intensity PA (P < .05). On trail vigorous-intensity PA minutes were 346% higher when classified with the combination versus accelerometer only. Light-intensity PA, moderate-intensity PA, and SB minutes were 15%, 91%, and 85% lower with the combination, respectively. Conclusions: Adult trail users accumulated more PA on trail use days than on nontrail use days, indicating the importance of these facilities for supporting regular PA. The combination of GPS and accelerometer data for quantifying on trail activity may be more accurate than accelerometer data alone and is useful for classifying intensity of activities such as bicycling.
Tamura is with the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. Wilson is with the Dept of Geography, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN. Puett is with the Maryland Institute of Applied Environmental Health, School of Public Heath, University of Maryland, College Park, MD. Klenosky and Harper are with the Dept of Health & Kinesiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. Troped is with the Dept of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA.
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