. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Jan 13.

Published in final edited form as: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012 Jan;44(1 Suppl 1):S68–S76. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182399e5b

Table 1.

Common estimates of behavior obtained from physical activity monitors.

Types of Estimates^*	Types of Summary Values
Types of Estimates^*	Absolute	Relative^*
Activity Count-based Measures	Total counts (counts/d)	Average counts (counts/min/d)
Expenditure-based Measures
Total energy expenditure	kcal/d	kcal/hr monitored
Physical activity energy expenditure	MET-min or MET-hr/d	MET-min/d/hr monitored
Intensity-based Measures
Sedentary (< 2.0 METS)	hrs/d	% wear/monitored time
Light (2.0-2.9 METS)	hrs/d	% wear/monitored time
Moderate (3.0-5.9 METS)	hrs/d	% wear/monitored time
Vigorous (≥ 6.0 METS)	hrs/d	% wear/monitored time
Posture-based Measures
Lying	hrs/d	% wear/monitored time
Sitting	hrs/d	% wear/monitored time
Standing	hrs/d	% wear/monitored time
Stepping	hrs/d	% wear/monitored time
Steps	per day	per day/hr monitored

values are obtained directly or estimated using prediction equations