It’s easy to think of physical activity as something you do in your leisure time, such as going for a walk, or taking part in a sport. However, there are many ways of accumulating physical activity throughout the day. These can include occupational related activities such as manual labour, domestic chores such as gardening, hoovering, and cleaning, and active modes of transport such as cycling or walking to the shops. Show
In this article, we look at what the terms physical activity and exercise mean. Physical activity is defined as “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure” (Caspersen et al., 1985). The American College of Sports Medicine go one step further to define it as “Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure above resting levels” (ACSM 2011). Exercise is a sub-set of physical activity. That is to say:
Exercise is characterised by being planned, structured and repetitive, and is carried out for the purpose of improving or maintaining physical fitness or health. Cardiorespiratory fitness is different again. Although it is related to physical activity and exercise it is not the same and is generally defined as the ability of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply oxygen to skeletal muscle during aerobic exercise. Metabolic Equivalent of Task (METS) MeasurementBoth physical activity and exercise can vary in intensity. The intensity of an activity is important as it can determine whether physiological changes will happen in response to the activity undertaken. Physical activities are generally classed as being of light, moderate, or vigorous intensity, and for health benefits, moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity is recommended. These intensities are measured in a unit called METS which means metabolic equivalents.
It can be hard to decipher how many METS you are expending when being physically active. To help us determine how intense common activities are, in general, a compendium of physical activities was developed by Ainsworth et al (2011). The figures in this compendium are taken from studies where possible; however, there are so many different types of activities that some had to be estimated. This image shows some MET values for common home and sporting activities. Take a look at this compendium of physical activities website, and in the comments section below:
Physical activity Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure. The energy expenditure can be measured in kilocalories. Physical activity in daily life can be categorized into occupational, sports, conditioning, household, or other activities. #PAG-ARALAN Is any bodily movement produced by the muscles that results in energy expenditure beyond resting?Physical activity: Any bodily movement that is produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle and that substantially increases energy expenditure.
Is any movement that produces an expenditure of energy?Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure.
What is body movement that works the muscles and uses more energy?Physical activity is any body movement that works your muscles and requires more energy than resting. Walking, running, dancing, swimming, yoga, and gardening are a few examples of physical activity.
What activities that requires energy expenditures?Physical activity can be defined as any movement of the body that requires energy expenditure. This includes any motion you do through the day excluding sitting still or lying down. For example, walking to class, taking the stairs, mowing the lawn, and even cleaning your house can be considered physical activity.
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