Purpose: Accelerometer-based wearables can provide the user with real-time feedback through the device's interface and the mobile platforms. Few studies have focused on the minute-by-minute validity of wearables, which is essential for high-quality real-time feedback. This study aims to assess the validity of the Fitbit One compared with the ActiGraph GT3x + for assessing physical activity (i.e., steps, time spent in moderate, vigorous, and moderate-vigorous physical activity) in young adults using traditional time intervals (i.e., days) and smaller time intervals (i.e., minutes and hours).
Methods: Healthy young adults (N = 34) wore the ActiGraph GT3x+ and a Fitbit One for 1 wk. Three aggregation levels were used: minute, hour, and day. Mixed models analyses, intraclass correlation coefficients, Bland-Altman analyses, and absolute error percentage for steps per day were conducted to analyze the validity for steps and minutes spent in moderate, vigorous, and moderate-vigorous physical activity.
Results: As compared with ActiGraph (mean = 9 steps per minute, 509 steps per hour and 7636 steps per day), the Fitbit One systematically overestimated physical activity for all aggregation levels: on average 0.82 steps per minute, 45 steps per hour, and 677 steps per day. Strong and significant associations were found between ActiGraph and Fitbit results for steps taken (B = 0.72-0.89). Weaker but statistically significant associations were found for minutes spent in moderate, vigorous, and moderate-vigorous physical activity for all time intervals (B = 0.39-0.57).
Conclusions: Although the Fitbit One overestimates the step activity compared with the ActiGraph, it can be considered a valid device to assess step activity, including for real-time minute-by-minute self-monitoring. However, agreement and correlation between ActiGraph and Fitbit One regarding time spent in moderate, vigorous, and moderate-vigorous physical activity were lower.