The International Children Accelerometer Database (ICAD)
Objective methods, such as accelerometers, have become a preferred option when measuring population levels of physical activity, examining trends in activity patterns and when examining associations between activity and health outcomes in young people.
The International Children’s Accelerometry Database (ICAD) project is a consortium including 20 partners which pooled and reduced raw accelerometer data using standardized methods to create comparable outcome variables in 32,000 young people aged 3 to 18 years across studies from Europe, the US, Brazil and Australia.
By pooling and reanalysing accelerometer data from different studies the ICAD has the potential to; a) increase statistical power due to a large sample size, b) create a more heterogeneous and potentially more representative sample, c) standardize and optimize the analytical methods used in the generation of outcome variables, and d) provide a means to study the causes of inter-study variability in physical activity.
The ICAD project was funded by the National Prevention Research Initiative in the UK and is led by a steering committee including representatives from MRC Epidemiology Unit (Dr. Ulf Ekelund), University of Bath (Prof. Chris Riddoch and Prof. Ken Judge), University of Bristol (Dr. Ashley Cooper), and University of Saskatchewan (Dr. Lauren Sherar).
The database is managed by the MRC Epidemiology Unit and is exclusively available for partners until March 2012 and will thereafter be publicly available.
Important information about data releases
The MRC Epidemiology Unit data management team will at minimum release 1 data set from the ICAD data base every fortnight. Data will be released in chronological order by date of accepted proposals (see document available for download) and usually within 5 to 10 working days.
Links and downloads
- Data Dictionary Aug 2011
- Data Sharing Documents
- Approved Proposals_Jan 2013
- Sherar L, Griew P, Esliger D, Cooper A, Ekelund U, Judge K, Riddoch C. International children’s accelerometry database (ICAD): Design and methods. BMC Public Health 2011
- Ekelund U, Luan JA, Sherar LB, Esliger DW, Grew P, Cooper A. Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and Sedentary Time and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Children and Adolescents. JAMA 2012;307:704-712
List of studies that have contributed data
UNITED STATES
NHANES (wave 2003/2004 and 2005/2006)
Project TAAG (Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls)
CHAMPS (Physical Activity in Pre-School Children)
BRAZIL
1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort
EUROPE
European Youth Heart Study (Norway, Portugal, Estonia and Denmark)
PEACH Project (Personal and Environmental Association with Children’s Health)
Project MAGIC (Movement and Activity Glasgow Intervention with Children’s Health)
ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children)
Project SPEEDY (Sport Physical Activity & Eating Behaviour: Environmental Determinants in Young People)
CHAMPS (Children’s Health and Activity Monitoring Program)
The Copenhagen School Children Intervention Study
Belgium Pre-school Study
Swiss Ballabeina Study
Swiss Kinder-Sportstudie (KISS) Study
AUSTRALIA
Project CLAN (Children Living in Active Neighbourhoods)
Project HEAPS (Healthy Eating And Play Study)