Physical Activity Information
MODERATE-intensity physical activity refers
to a level of effort in which a person should experience:
- Some increase in breathing or heart rate
- A "perceived exertion" of 11 to 14 on the Borg
scale (* see below)
- The effort a healthy individual might expend while walking
briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming, or bicycling
on level terrain, for example.
- 3 to 6 metabolic equivalents (METs, *see below)); or any
activity that burns 3.5 to 7 Calories per minute (kcal/min)
VIGOROUS-intensity physical activity may
be intense enough to represent a substantial challenge to
an individual and refers to a level of effort in which a person
should experience:
- Large increase in breathing or heart rate (conversation
is difficult or “broken”)
- A "perceived exertion" of 15 or greater on the
Borg scale (*see below)
- The effort a healthy individual might expend while jogging,
mowing the lawn with a nonmotorized pushmower, participating
in high-impact aerobic dancing, swimming continuous laps,
or bicycling uphill, carrying more than 25 lbs up a flight
of stairs, standing or walking with more than 50 lbs for
example.
- Greater than 6 metabolic equivalents (METs,* see below);
or any activity that burns more than 7 kcal/ min
CLICK HERE FOR AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF MODERATE AND VIGOROUS-INTENSITY ACTIVITIES
* Rating of Perceived Exertion
(RPE) is the level of effort you feel you are putting
into an activity. The Borg scale is a rating scale that helps
you describe how hard you feel you are working in terms of
a number from 6 to 20.
6 - 20% effort - Very, very light (Rest)
7 - 30% effort
8 - 40% effort
9 - 50% effort - Very light - gentle walking
10 - 55% effort
11 - 60% effort - Fairly light
12 - 65% effort
13 - 70% effort - Moderately hard - steady pace
14 - 75% effort
15 - 80% effort - Hard
16 - 85% effort
17 - 90% effort - Very hard
18 - 95% effort
19 - 100% effort - Very, very hard
20 - Exhaustion
*Definition: Metabolic Equivalent (MET)
A MET is a measure of the amount of energy required at rest,
expressed as the required volume of oxygen in ml/min under
quiet, resting conditions. For many purposes, one MET is assumed
to be equal to 3.5ml of oxygen per kg of body-weight per minute.
MET's are used to compare energy costs of different exercises.
Therefore, an exercise requiring 10METs would require 35ml
of oxygen per minute or 10 times the energy requirement at
rest.
You can use the MET value of an activity to calculate how
many calories you burn completing it. See a comprehensive
MET list here
Equation:
MET * Body-Weight * Time (hrs)
eg, If a person who weighs 112kg chooses to go for a walk
for 30 minutes, at a pace where the MET value is 4, the
calculation would be:
4 * 112 * 0.5 = 224 calories
Definitions:
One MET: Resting metabolic rate (3.5 ml O2/kg/min )
One Kilocalorie (kcal): 200 ml of Oxygen (O2) used
Energy Expenditure in KCals/minute
KCals/min = 0.0175 kcals/kg/min x METS x WtKg
Where WtKg = weight in kilograms
Kcals below assume 70 kg person
Light Activity (50 to 200 KCals per hour)
Lying or Sleeping (80 kcals/hour or 1.0 METS)
Desk Work (110 kcals/hour or 1.5 METS)
Driving (120 kcals/hour or 1.6 METS)
Fishing (130 kcals/hour or 1.8 METS)
Sitting (100 kcals/hour or 1.4 METS)
Standing (140 kcals/hour or 2 METS)
Housework (180 kcals/hour or 2.5 METS)
Moderate Activity (200 to 350 KCals per hour)
Bicycling
Pace: 5.5 mph (220 kcals/hour or 3 METS)
Pace: 11 mph (440 kcals/hour or 6 METS)
Pace: 16.5 mph (660 kcals/hour or 9 METS)
Boating
Canoeing at 2.5 mph: 230 kcals/hour or 3 METS
Row boat at 2.5 mph: 300 kcals/hour or 4 METS
Bowling (270 kcals/hour or 4 METS)
Golf
Golf cart: 150 kcals/hour (2 METS)
Walking: 300 kcalks/hour (4 METS)
Swimming at 0.25 mph (300 kcals/hour or 4 METS)
Walking (approximately 100 calories per mile)
Pace: 2 mph (150 kcals/hour or 2 METS)
Pace: 4 mph (330 kcals/hour or 4 METS)
Yard Work
Gardening: 220 kcals/hour or 3 METS
Power Lawn Mower: 250 kcals/hour or 3 METS
Strenuous Activity (over 350 kcals/hour)
Dance
Slow Step: 300 kcals/hour or 4 METS
Square Dancing: 350 kcals/hour or 5 METS
Fast Step (Aerobic): 490 kcals/hour or 6 METS
Racquet Sports
Badminton (350 kcals/hour or 5 METS)
Racquetball Singles (775 kcals/hour or 10 METS)
Squash or Handball (600 kcals/hour or 8 METS)
Tennis Singles (420 kcals/hour or 5 METS)
Running (approximately 100 calories per mile)
Jogging: 5 mph (640 kcals/hour or 8.7 METS)
Moderate: 6 mph (750 kcals/hour or 10.2 METS)
Fast: 10 mph (1200 kcals/hour or 16.3 METS)
Shoveling (400 kcals/hour or 5 METS)
Skating at 10 MPH (400 kcals/hour or 5 METS)
Skiing
Cross Country Skiing (900 kcals/hour or 12 METS)
Downhill skiing (600 kcals/hour or 8 METS)
Waterskiing (460 kcals/hour or 6 METS)
Resources
Measuring Physical Activity Intensity
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical
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East 12th Street | PO Box 9000 | Holland, Michigan 49422
email: wellness@hope.edu |
