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A smartphone-driven methodology for estimating physical activities and energy expenditure in free living conditions

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbi.2014.07.009
Article published in Journal of Biomedical Informatics on July 15, 2014.

Authors: Romain GUIDOUX1, Martine DUCLOS1,2, Gérard FLEURY3, Philippe LACOMME4, Nicolas LAMAUDIÈRE2, Pierre-Henri MANENQ5, Ludivine PARIS1, Libo REN4, Sylvie ROUSSET1

1 INRA, Unité de Nutrition Humaine UMR 1019, CRNH d'Auvergne, 63009 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
2 CHU Clermont Ferrand, Serv Med Sport & Explorat Fonct, 63003 Clermont Ferrand, France.
3 Laboratoire de Mathématiques (UMR CNRS 6620), Campus des Cézeaux, 63177 Aubière Cedex, France.
4 Laboratoire d'Informatique (LIMOS, UMR CNRS 6158), Campus des Cézeaux, 63177 Aubière Cedex, France.
5 Almerys, 46 rue du Ressort, 63967 Clermont-Ferrand Cedex 9, France.

Numerical experiments

The protocol evaluating is divided into 3 parts:

  1. Recruitment of volunteers;
  2. Energy expenditure estimation using f(η,d) and data collected by the smartphone application;
  3. Comparative study of results between Armband, Actiheard and the EE estimation function.


1. Recruitment of volunteers

Fourty-two volunteers were divided into 2 groups:


Table 1: population of volunteers in controlled conditions

Number Volunteer Sex Age Height (cm) Weight (kg) BMI (kg/m2)
1 BEJ Male 20 174 64 21.14
2 BLA Female 31 171 64 21.89
3 BOO Male 41 172 72 24.34
4 CAE Female 26 157 55 22.31
5 CHC Male 32 175 67 21.88
6 GUR Male 25 176 71 22.92
7 MEN Female 43 177 64 20.43
8 POC Female 30 183 67.5 20.16
9 POD Male 38 174 67 22.13
10 RIJ Male 49 172 70 23.66
11 ROS Female 50 170 60 20.76
12 THC Female 24 168 57 20.20

Table 2: population of volunteers in free-living conditions

Number Volunteer Sex Age Height (cm) Weight (kg) BMI (kg/m2)
1 ASE Male 23 165 65.40 24.02
2 BAT Male 58 161 61.80 19.73
3 BIC Female 24 169 55.50 19.43
4 BOG Male 52 181 82.00 25.03
5 BRJ Male 42 168 68.00 24.09
6 CAF Male 34 179 70.50 22.00
7 CAL Female 22 158 50.80 20.35
8 CHG Female 24 168 62.30 22.07
9 DEA Female 36 171 56.40 19.29
10 DUC Female 30 159 63.40 25.08
11 FEH Male 30 179 72.90 22.75
12 FLG Male 25 160 57.30 22.38
13 LAP Female 30 156 50.00 20.55
14 LIA Female 49 158 61.10 24.48
15 LOD Male 30 181 78.00 23.81
16 LOQ Female 33 152 43.20 18.70
17 MUB Female 32 171 58.30 19.94
18 PIA Male 24 174 58.80 19.42
19 PIC Male 23 181 75.40 23.02
20 ROM Female 31 168 58.20 20.62
21 STC Female 28 180 79.30 24.48
22 VAH Female 38 170 57.50 19.90
23 VIJ Male 27 179 66.40 20.72
24 WAP Male 48 176 72.10 23.28
25 BOL Female 26 160 58.50 22.85
26 DEF Male 30 170 68.50 23.70
27 DEJ Male 33 174 70.00 23.12
28 GUR Male 25 176 71.00 22.92
29 PLC Female 43 166 58.00 21.05
30 TAR Female 45 164 61.00 22.68


2. Energy expenditure estimation

Energy expenditure estimations were obtained:


Table 3: Energy expenditure estimations in controlled conditions

Energy expenditure estimation (kcal)
Number Volunteer Record duration f(η,d) Scenario Armband Actiheart
1 BEJ 12013,651 641.70 654.49 740.12 531.02
2 BLA 12097,30 651.20 666.39 684.72 544.96
3 BOO 11579,70 697.89 694.62 698.46 752.81
4 CAE 12495,45 600.90 596.25 662.70 512.37
5 CHC 12235,41 685.57 707.22 710.88 638.91
6 GUR 11732,92 820.25 719.30 714.40 551.64
7 MEN 12176,84 637.44 643.63 677.49 627.99
8 POC 12210,50 676.13 686.41 662.25 793.26
9 POD 11706,42 697.41 689.48 791.45 816.90
10 RIJ 12167,76 701.40 714.72 691.39 807.27
11 ROS 12199,67 641.44 619.66 624.23 522.96
12 THC 12488,36 605.76 612.15 703.20 667.44

Table 4: Energy expenditure estimations in free-living conditions

Energy expenditure estimation (kcal)
Number Volunteer Record duration f(η,d) Actiheart Armband
1 ASE2 38700 1481.61 1666.51 2375.12
2 BAT 41220 1483.11 1015.08 1024.52
3 BIC 33480 969.99 907.84 905.46
4 BOG 52260 2257.80 2039.88 2483.80
5 BRJ 56820 1767.14 1387.46 1705.65
6 CAF 56100 1796.47 1875.58
7 CAF2 44820 1718.48 1288.97 1684.53
8 CAL 55320 1217.39 1912.28 1339.21
9 CHG 40140 1599.25 1075.23 1067.59
10 DEA 54840 1424.65 1297.72 1424.80
11 DUC 47820 1570.47 1324.20 1614.32
12 FEH 60000 1569.32 2224.99 2391.59
13 FLG 37320 1092.80 1021.95
14 LAP 51300 1360.79 1318.71
15 LIA 38400 1572.58 1613.21
16 LOD 35280 1638.27 1224.02 1743.92
17 LOQ 43680 1133.75 917.84 1045.76
18 MUB 49200 1533.21 1125.79 1193.68
19 PIA 51420 1356.81 1248.41 1692.22
20 PIC 48540 1758.59 2993.33 2714.92
21 ROM 56820 1476.13 1121.24 1330.43
22 STC-07 47100 1796.87 1701.73 1400.76
23 STC-08 31800 1659.95 1479.17 1253.10
24 VAH 48900 1662.77 1773.00 1803.15
25 VIJ 32700 1288.36 1429.27
26 WAP 53640 1669.42 2243.58 2976.13
27 BOL 52320 1466.76 1352.69 1621.32
28 DEF 37680 1428.29 2562.17 1794.32
29 DEJ 43140 1686.57 1590.50 1426.25
30 GUR 39360 1363.65 2140.04 1544.11
31 PLC 19740 1044.47 815.62 870.84
32 TAR 51720 1556.18 1361.09 1347.41

3. Comparative study of results

Gaps are calculated using the following formula: Gap = (EEf(η,d) - EEref) / EEref


Table 5: Comparison of results in controlled conditions

Gap between
Number Volunteer f(η,d) and scenario f(η,d) and Actiheart f(η,d) and Armband
1 BEJ -1.95% 20.84% -13.30%
2 BLA -2.28% 19.50% -4.90%
3 BOO 0.47% -7.30% -0.08%
4 CAE 0.76% 17.26% -9.34%
5 CHC -3.06% 7.30% -3.56%
6 GUR 14.03% 48.69% 14.82%
7 MEN -0.96% 1.50% -5.91%
8 POC -1.50% -14.77% 2.10%
9 POD 1.15% -14.63% -11.88%
10 RIJ -1.86% -13.11% 1.45%
11 ROS 3.52% 22.66% 2.76%
12 THC -1.04% -9.24% -13.86%
Relative Avg. 0.61% 6.56% -3.48%
Relative SD. 3.52% 11.43% 5.13%
Absolute Avg. 2.72% 16.40% 7.00%
Absolute SD. 4.41% 18.88% 7.95%

Table 6: Comparison of results in free-living conditions

Gap between
Number Volunteer f(η,d) and Actiheart f(η,d) and Armband
1 ASE2 -11.09% -37.62%
2 BAT 46.11% 44.76%
3 BIC 6.85% 7.13%
4 BOG 10.68% -9.10%
5 BRJ 27.37% 3.61%
6 CAF -4.22%
7 CAF2 33.32% 2.02%
8 CAL -36.34% -9.10%
9 CHG 48.74% 49.80%
10 DEA 9.78% -0.01%
11 DUC 18.60% -2.72%
12 FEH -29.47% -34.38%
13 FLG 6.93%
14 LAP 3.19%
15 LIA -2.52%
16 LOD 33.84% -6.06%
17 LOQ 23.52% 8.41%
18 MUB 36.19% 28.44%
19 PIA 8.68% -19.82%
20 PIC -41.25% -35.22%
21 ROM 31.65% 10.95%
22 STC-07 5.59% 28.28%
23 STC-08 12.22% 32.47%
24 VAH -6.22% -7.79%
25 VIJ -9.86%
26 WAP -25.59% -43.91%
27 BOL 8.43% -9.53%
28 DEF -44.25% -20.40%
29 DEJ 6.04% 18.25%
30 GUR -36.28% -11.69%
31 PLC 28.06% 19.94%
32 TAR 14.33% 15.49%
Relative Avg. 6.65% 0.49%
Absolute Avg. 23.72% 16.99%
Relative SD 26.61% 22.09%
Absolute SD 13.77% 14.13%