Validity of Garmin Vivofit 1 and Garmin Vivofit 3 for School-Based Physical Activity Monitoring

Purpose: Activity trackers are useful tools for physical activity promotion in adolescents, but robust validity evaluations have not been done under free-living conditions. This study evaluated the validity of the Garmin Vivofit 1 (G1) and Garmin Vivofit 3 (G3) in different settings and contexts. Methods: The participants (girls: 52%, age: 15.9 [1.9] y) wore the G1 and G3 on their nondominant wrist and the Yamax pedometer on their right hip for a period of 1 week. Validity was examined in 4 discrete segments (before school, in school, after school, and whole day). The criterion method was the Yamax pedometer. Results: Both the G1 and G3 could be considered equivalent to the Yamax pedometer regarding the before school, in school, and whole day segments. The G1 showed wider limits of agreement than G3. Conclusions: The G1 and G3 trackers exhibited acceptable validity for 3 of the 4 segments (before school, in school, and whole day measurements). The results were less accurate during the after-school segment. The evidence that the validity of the monitors varied depending on the setting and context is an important consideration for research on adolescent activity patterns.