Rethinking Missing Data Handling in Accelerometer-Based Physical Activity Research: Barriers, Current Methods, and Future Directions.
- 1Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
- 2Department of Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
- 3Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
Abstract
Accelerometers provide objective measures of physical activity, yet missing data from nonwear, noncompliance, and technical failure are pervasive, and the field's predominant response-excluding days below wear-time thresholds-yields heterogeneous, biased estimates. The purpose of this review was to advance missing-data handling in accelerometer-based physical activity research by identifying barriers, synthesizing the methodological literature, and recommending future directions. In this conceptual review, we synthesized 26 methodological papers across six method families to characterize current practice. Three interacting barriers appear to shape it: ambiguity about the unit and mechanism of missingness, a disconnect between methodological development and applied uptake, and the absence of consensus reporting standards. Situated within Rubin's missing-data theory, the synthesis yields two organizing conceptions: a unit-and-mechanism alignment conception and a purpose-driven, decision-oriented framework linking analytic choice to a study's purpose and design. We recommend a data-driven framework; consensus reporting standards; and applied demonstration to improve validity, transparency, and comparability.
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BibTeX
@article{deng2026rethinking,
title = {{Rethinking Missing Data Handling in Accelerometer-Based Physical Activity Research: Barriers, Current Methods, and Future Directions.}},
author = {Anqi Deng and Jihong Zhang and Dexin Shi and Nicole Zarrett},
journal = {Kinesiology review (Champaign, Ill.)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1123/kr.2026-0028},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997397},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Rethinking Missing Data Handling in Accelerometer-Based Physical Activity Research: Barriers, Current Methods, and Future Directions.
AU - Anqi Deng
AU - Jihong Zhang
AU - Dexin Shi
AU - Nicole Zarrett
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Kinesiology review (Champaign, Ill.)
DO - 10.1123/kr.2026-0028
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997397
AB - Accelerometers provide objective measures of physical activity, yet missing data from nonwear, noncompliance, and technical failure are pervasive, and the field's predominant response-excluding days below wear-time thresholds-yields heterogeneous, biased estimates. The purpose of this review was to advance missing-data handling in accelerometer-based physical activity research by identifying barriers, synthesizing the methodological literature, and recommending future directions. In this conceptual review, we synthesized 26 methodological papers across six method families to characterize current practice. Three interacting barriers appear to shape it: ambiguity about the unit and mechanism of missingness, a disconnect between methodological development and applied uptake, and the absence of consensus reporting standards. Situated within Rubin's missing-data theory, the synthesis yields two organizing conceptions: a unit-and-mechanism alignment conception and a purpose-driven, decision-oriented framework linking analytic choice to a study's purpose and design. We recommend a data-driven framework; consensus reporting standards; and applied demonstration to improve validity, transparency, and comparability.
SN - 2163-0453
SN - 2161-6035
ER -