The relationship of actigraph accelerometer cut-points for estimating physical activity with selected health outcomes: Results from NHANES 2003–06

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of child and adult cut-points on physical activity (PA) intensity, the prevalence of meeting PA guidelines, and association with selected health outcomes. Participants (6, 578 adults ≥ 18 years, and 3, 174 children and adolescents ≤ 17 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–06 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006) wore an accelerometer for 7 days. PA intensity was estimated with 5 child-derived and 12 adultderived cut-points. For all, the cut-point influenced PA intensity and the prevalence of meeting PA guidelines. Similarly, cut-point selection influenced the relationship between physical activity and various health outcomes. Future research should further enhance meaningful cut-points relevant to populations with diverse health and age profiles.