The International Society for the Measurement of Physical Behaviour and Human Kinetics are pleased to announce the upcoming inaugural issue of the Journal for the Measurement of Physical Behaviour (JMPB).

This new peer-reviewed quarterly journal focuses on the publication of innovative and impactful research that uses wearable monitors to assess physical activity, sedentary behaviour, movement disorders and sleep.

The first issue will be published in March 2018. Patty Freedson, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts will be serving as JMPB Editor-in-Chief.

The growth of measurement

According to Future Marketing Insights, the market for wearable fitness trackers is currently valued at approximately $21 billion and is expected to increase to $90 billion by the end of 2028.

We are experiencing unprecedented growth in the use of wearable movement sensors in both the research and clinical communities. New sensor devices, development of methods to calibrate and validate sensors and novel analytic tools for processing data from sensors and interpretation of these data are just a few of the areas where significant basic science advances continue. Intervention scientists are using movement sensors to test the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve physical activity and sleep behaviour.

Clinicians are using these devices to ascertain the functional effectiveness of various medical, pharmacological, and physical rehabilitation modalities. Having a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research on such fundamental and applied problems related to physical behaviour measurement is a much-needed resource to advance the science and practice of monitoring physical behaviour. JMPB will publish papers in such areas as novel methods for device calibration and validation, new sensor technology, analytic advances in measurement and interpretation, new outcomes for clinical studies and applications of wearable monitors for assessing exposure and/or outcomes. Evidence-based papers leading to best practices for how objective monitoring should be used in research and clinical settings are also encouraged. We recognise the popularity of consumer-grade devices (commonly called fitness trackers) in providing people with the ability to monitor and track their own physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep.

Analysis of wearables

We in the research community have begun to evaluate the performance of these devices to help consumers make the best choices for device selection. This journal will be one of the few peer-reviewed publications that will support high-quality research on consumer grade motion sensors to advance our understanding of the accuracy and precision of these devices.

JMPB will also publish articles that empirically seek solutions to problems related to fitness tracker compliance and ways that fitness trackers can be designed to sustain activity behaviour change.

Medical advances

It is also anticipated that the fitness tracker will make major advances in the medical field. Potentially providing healthcare professionals with a seamless tool to objectively monitor and track patient activity and sleep patterns on a daily basis. JMPB will be an excellent outlet for research and best-practices publications in this newly emerging area that will advance the unique use of these devices.

Measurement of physical behaviour

JMPB will fill a gap in our family of scholarly journals by supporting single discipline and interdisciplinary work from the fields of:

• Kinesiology
• Engineering
• Nutrition
• Psychology
• Statistics
• Mathematics
• Medicine
• Rehabilitation Sciences
• Computer Science

The goal is to promote innovative scientific inquiry in the measurement of physical behaviour. Research papers on wearable motion sensors can be found in many different journals that represent many different fields. JMPB will offer scientists and clinicians seeking high-quality research and evidence-based best practices recommendations in the measurement of physical behaviour a journal dedicated solely to the measurement of physical behaviour.

The Journal of Measurement of Physical Behaviour has set up a Twitter account, go follow @JMPBjournal for the latest updates. You can view the Journal for the Measurement of Physical Behaviour – here. 

Site license

Part of an educational institution or a business who have an interest in sports science? A site licence can lead to significant savings for you and your institution.

Save money and learn more with a journal site license.

If you already have a site licence this journal will be included in your existing price.