Energy Cost Of Sports, Conditioning, And Transportation Activities In Chinese Adults

PURPOSE: The 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities (Compendium) presents the energy costs (MET) for physical activities (PAs) in 11 categories. METs for PAs are obtained from the published literature or estimated if values are unavailable. Measured METs are needed for estimated MET values to increase the accuracy and utility of the Compendium. This study measured the METs of sports, conditioning, and transportation PAs that have estimated METs or with a Compendium MET value based on only one study. METHODS: The energy cost of six PAs was measured in 10 adults ages 20-59 (5 males, 5 females). PAs were performed in laboratory or outside settings for 8-min with a 4-min rest between PAs. Submaximal VO2 (ml.kg-1.min-1) and heart rate (beats.m-1) were measured with a Quark K4b2 portable indirect calorimetry system and a Garmin HRM-3 heart rate monitor, respectively. METs were computed as VO2 in ml.kg-1.min-1/3.5. Data were averaged as mean ± SD. METs were rounded up or down to reflect terminal digit values as presented in the 2011 Compendium (0, 3, 5, 8). RESULTS: Data for one subject was deleted due to equipment failure. Subject characteristics were: age (26.33 ± 5.94 y), weight (61.44 ± 9.40 kg), height (165.11 ± 8.94 cm), and BMI (22.41 ± 1.54 kg/m2). Measured and rounded METs were: shooting baskets (4.96 ± 1.32; 5.0 METs), hitting golf balls at a range (3.51 ± 1.13; 3.5 METs), riding a bicycle for transportation at one’s own pace (3.43 ± 0.61 METs; 3.5 METs), jogging at one’s own pace (7.57 ± 1.38, 7.5 METs), jogging in place (4.65 ± 1.00; 4.8 METs), and jumping jacks at one’s own pace (7.00 ± 1.00; 7.0 METs). Measured METs were lower than estimated METs for two PAs (jogging in place and jumping jacks, both estimated at 8.0 METs, respectively) and higher than estimated METs for three PAs (shooting baskets, jogging at one’s own pace, and hitting golf balls at a range, estimated at 4.5, 7.0, and 3.0 METs, respectively). The measured METs for bicycling for transportation was lower than the Compendium MET value measured previously (3.5 METs vs. 4.0 METs). CONCLUSIONS: Replacing estimated METs with measured values will increase the accuracy of the MET values presented in the Compendium. Additional studies are needed to measure the energy costs of PAs currently presented as estimated METs in the Compendium. (Funded by the Shanghai University of Sport)