A total of 114 children participated in the study. They wore accelerometers on the wrist or waist for at least three weekdays and one weekend day. Researchers assessed physical activity using conventional time-based metrics, including moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), as well as more complex metrics: total activity (volume-based), activity patterns (pattern-based), and the intensity gradient.

Analyses showed that only MVPA was significantly associated with lower BMI, whereas more complex activity metrics did not add predictive value in this relatively homogeneous group of Dutch children. These results suggest that the time children spend in moderate-to-vigorous activity is the most practical and sensitive indicator for later adiposity.

The findings highlight the importance of encouraging children to meet daily recommendations for moderate-to-vigorous activity. While advanced accelerometer metrics capture richer patterns of movement, in healthy and active populations traditional time-use metrics remain highly informative for predicting BMI. Future research should explore whether these complex metrics provide added insight in larger or more diverse populations.

Read the publication here: Prospective association between descriptive accelerometer-derived physical behaviour metrics and cardiometabolic risk indicators in Dutch children: The ABCD study - PMC