Energy expenditure during common sitting and standing tasks: examining the 1.5 MET definition of sedentary behaviour.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Randomized crossover trial testing standardized activity bouts with indirect calorimetry
PubMed 26021449 · doi:10.1186/s12889-015-1851-x
What was done
In a randomized crossover laboratory study, 51 adults completed 10-minute bouts of various sitting and non-sedentary activities on the same day in random order following a resting metabolic rate (RMR) assessment. Sitting tasks included watching TV, playing PlayStation Portable (PSP), typing, and playing Nintendo Wii. Non-sedentary tasks included standing still and walking at speeds from 0.2 to 1.6 mph. Oxygen uptake was measured using a portable gas analyzer and converted to metabolic equivalents (METs).
What was found
Average standardized MET values for screen-based sitting tasks were 1.33 (SD: 0.24) METs for TV, 1.41 (SD: 0.28) METs for PSP, and 1.45 (SD: 0.32) METs for typing. Seated active gaming on the Wii averaged 2.06 (SD: 0.5) METs. Standing still averaged 1.59 (SD: 0.37) METs. Walking MET values increased with speed from 2.17 to 2.99 (SD: 0.5–0.69) METs.
Why it matters
This study supports the empirical validity of the 1.5 MET threshold for conventional sedentary activities, while highlighting that active seated tasks can exceed this metabolic boundary.
Limits
The abstract does not provide participant demographic details, BMI, or health status. Activities were tested for brief 10-minute laboratory bouts that may not capture habitual energy expenditure.
Cited by
- contradicts Research showed that playing the Nintendo Wii burned as many calories as standing.