Do adults with cardiovascular disease risk show meaningful reactivity to physical activity measurement? Coordinated analysis across six studies.

No patterns of physical activity measurement reactivity met both criteria for statistical significance and meaningful effect size across the coordinated analysis.

• The threshold for statistical significance was set at p < .05 and standardized effect sizes of interest were semipartial correlation coefficients (srs) ≥ .25
• No patterns met both criteria for either main or moderation effects
• Results were also evaluated using equivalence tests and conversions to Cohen's d
• This applied to both outcome measures: activity units and steps per day

One small study showed a decrease in steps per day across days of observation that approached but did not meet the combined significance and effect size criteria.

• The decrease in steps per day had p = .15, sr = .26, d = .23, 90% CI: -.03, .50
• While the effect size (sr = .26) exceeded the threshold of .25, the result was not statistically significant (p = .15)
• This was described as coming from 'one small study'
• Within this study, men showed an increase in steps per day whereas women showed a decrease

Sex moderated the pattern of steps per day across observation days in one study, with men increasing and women decreasing.

• Men showed an increase in steps per day across days of observation
• Women showed a decrease in steps per day across days of observation
• This sex moderation effect was observed in one study within the coordinated analysis
• No moderation effects met both criteria for significance across the full coordinated analysis

The coordinated analysis included data from 1825 participants across six datasets examining physical activity measurement over 6-7 days.

• Total N = 1825 participants
• Data came from six datasets from studies using 6-7 days of observation following introduction of PA measurement devices
• Participants were ages 40-60 with ≥1 cardiovascular disease risk factors
• Device-assessed PA behaviour was used across all studies
• Multilevel modelling was used to examine PA behaviour across days

Study design features did not significantly moderate physical activity measurement reactivity in this population.

• Moderators of interest included demographic and study design characteristics
• No moderation effects for study design features met both the significance and effect size criteria
• The analysis examined whether decreases in activity across days indicated reactivity
• This finding suggests reactivity is not an artifact of specific study design choices in this population

The authors recommend against widespread use of burdensome procedures to prevent physical activity measurement reactivity in adults with cardiovascular disease risk.

• The recommendation is based on the finding that adults in midlife with CVD risk factors show little evidence of PA measurement reactivity
• Authors recommend continuing to examine PA patterns in individual studies
• The population studied was adults ages 40-60 with at least one CVD risk factor
• The conclusion was consistent across six independent datasets