The DOI matches its Crossref record.
Metabolic equivalents (METS) in exercise testing, exercise prescription, and evaluation of functional capacity
Abstract
One metabolic equivalent (MET) is defined as the amount of oxygen consumed while sitting at rest and is equal to 3.5 ml O 2 per kg body weight x min. The MET concept represents a simple, practical, and easily understood procedure for expressing the energy cost of physical activities as a multiple of the resting metabolic rate. The energy cost of an activity can be determined by dividing the relative oxygen cost of the activity (ml O 2/kg/min)x by 3.5. This article summarizes and presents energy expenditure values for numerous household and recreational activities in both METS and watts units. Also, the intensity levels (in METS) for selected exercise protocols are compared stage by stage. In spite of its limitations, the MET concept provides a convenient method to describe the functional capacity or exercise tolerance of an individual as determined from progressive exercise testing and to define a repertoire of physical activities in which a person may participate safely, without exceeding a prescribed intensity level.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cited by
Kyu, H. H., Bachman, V. F., Alexander, L. T., Mumford, J. E., Afshin, A., Estep, K., Veerman, J. L., Delwiche, K., Iannarone, M. L., Moyer, M. L., et al. (2016) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.i3857 · Cited by 1,272
Cancer cachexia in adult patients: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines☆
Arends, J., Strasser, F., Gonella, S., Solheim, T. S., Madeddu, C., Ravasco, P., Buonaccorso, L., de van der Schueren, M. A. E., Baldwin, C., Chasen, M., et al. (2021) · ESMO Open · doi:10.1016/j.esmoop.2021.100092 · Cited by 586
Pathak, R. K., Elliott, A., Middeldorp, M. E., Meredith, M., Mehta, A. B., Mahajan, R., Hendriks, J. M. L., Twomey, D., Kalman, J. M., Abhayaratna, W. P., et al. (2015) · Journal of the American College of Cardiology · doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2015.06.488 · Cited by 544
Metabolic equivalent: one size does not fit all
Byrne, N. M., Hills, A. P., Hunter, G. R., Weinsier, R. L., & Schutz, Y. (2005) · Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00023.2004 · Cited by 527
Myths, Presumptions, and Facts about Obesity
Casazza, K., Fontaine, K. R., Astrup, A., Birch, L. L., Brown, A. W., Bohan Brown, M. M., Durant, N., Dutton, G., Foster, E. M., Heymsfield, S. B., et al. (2013) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmsa1208051 · Cited by 442
Exercise in the management of obesity
Petridou, A., Siopi, A., & Mougios, V. (2019) · Metabolism · doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2018.10.009 · Cited by 317
Nomogram based on metabolic equivalents and age for assessing aerobic exercise capacity in men.
Morris, C. K., Myers, J., Froelicher, V. F., Kawaguchi, T., Ueshima, K., & Hideg, A. (1993) · Journal of the American College of Cardiology · doi:10.1016/0735-1097(93)90832-l · Cited by 280
Ten things to know about ten cardiovascular disease risk factors
Bays, H. E., Taub, P. R., Epstein, E., Michos, E. D., Ferraro, R. A., Bailey, A. L., Kelli, H. M., Ferdinand, K. C., Echols, M. R., Weintraub, H., et al. (2021) · American Journal of Preventive Cardiology · doi:10.1016/j.ajpc.2021.100149 · Cited by 274
Predicting Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Using Smartphone and Wearable Data
Moshe, I., Terhorst, Y., Opoku Asare, K., Sander, L. B., Ferreira, D., Baumeister, H., Mohr, D. C., & Pulkki-Råback, L. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.625247 · Cited by 261
The prognostic value of exercise capacity: A review of the literature
Morris, C. K., Ueshima, K., Kawaguchi, T., Hideg, A., & Froelicher, V. F. (1991) · American Heart Journal · doi:10.1016/0002-8703(91)90586-7 · Cited by 237
Exercise and cardiovascular risk in patients with hypertension
Sharman, J. E., La Gerche, A., & Coombes, J. S. (2015) · American Journal of Hypertension · doi:10.1093/ajh/hpu191 · Cited by 224
Voss, M. W., Carr, L. J., Clark, R., & Weng, T. (2014) · Mental health and physical activity · doi:10.1016/j.mhpa.2014.01.001 · Cited by 164
Chen, L., Hwang, A., Lee, W., Peng, L., Lin, M., Neil, D. L., Shih, S., Loh, C., Chiou, S., & Taiwan Health Promotion Intervention Study for Elders research group (2020) · Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle · doi:10.1002/jcsm.12534 · Cited by 134
Gender influence on health and risk behavior in primary prevention: A systematic review
Hiller, J., Schatz, K., & Drexler, H. (2017) · Journal of Public Health · doi:10.1007/s10389-017-0798-z · Cited by 138
Tse, A. C. Y., Wong, T. W. L., & Lee, P. H. (2015) · Sports Medicine - Open · doi:10.1186/s40798-015-0034-8 · Cited by 135
Talbot, L. A., Morrell, C. H., Fleg, J. L., & Metter, E. J. (2007) · Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2007.05.014 · Cited by 121
Kozey, S., Lyden, K., Staudenmayer, J., & Freedson, P. (2010) · Journal of Physical Activity and Health · doi:10.1123/jpah.7.4.508 · Cited by 119
Kolnes, K. J., Petersen, M. H., Lien-Iversen, T., Højlund, K., & Jensen, J. (2021) · Frontiers in Physiology · doi:10.3389/fphys.2021.737709 · Cited by 112
(1979) · PubMed · Cited by 112
Using metabolic equivalents in clinical practice
Franklin, B. A., Brinks, J., Berra, K., Lavie, C. J., Gordon, N. F., & Sperling, L. S. (2018) · The American Journal of Cardiology · doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2017.10.033 · Cited by 94
Presleep Activities and Time of Sleep Onset in Children
Foley, L. S., Maddison, R., Jiang, Y., Marsh, S., Olds, T., & Ridley, K. (2013) · Pediatrics · doi:10.1542/peds.2012-1651 · Cited by 87
Lugones-Sanchez, C., Recio-Rodriguez, J. I., Agudo-Conde, C., Repiso-Gento, I., G Adalia, E., Ramirez-Manent, J. I., Sanchez-Calavera, M. A., Rodriguez-Sanchez, E., Gomez-Marcos, M. A., Garcia-Ortiz, L., et al. (2022) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/30416 · Cited by 85
Kim, E. S. H., Ishwaran, H., Blackstone, E., & Lauer, M. S. (2007) · Journal of the American College of Cardiology · doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2007.08.003 · Cited by 77
Cameron, N. A., Petito, L. C., McCabe, M., Allen, N. B., O’Brien, M. J., Carnethon, M. R., & Khan, S. S. (2021) · Journal of the American Heart Association · doi:10.1161/jaha.120.018799 · Cited by 76
Sawada, D., Kuwano, Y., Tanaka, H., Hara, S., Uchiyama, Y., Sugawara, T., Fujiwara, S., Rokutan, K., & Nishida, K. (2019) · Journal of Functional Foods · doi:10.1016/j.jff.2019.04.022 · Cited by 76
Slootmaker, S. M., Chin A Paw, M. J. M., Schuit, A. J., Van Mechelen, W., & Koppes, L. L. J. (2009) · Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2007.00740.x · Cited by 69
Alexander, L., Christensen, S. M., Richardson, L., Ingersoll, A. B., Burridge, K., Golden, A., Karjoo, S., Cortez, D., Shelver, M., & Bays, H. E. (2022) · Obesity Pillars · doi:10.1016/j.obpill.2021.100005 · Cited by 61
Effect of a Simulated Heat Wave on Physiological Strain and Labour Productivity
Ioannou, L. G., Mantzios, K., Tsoutsoubi, L., Panagiotaki, Z., Kapnia, A. K., Ciuha, U., Nybo, L., Flouris, A. D., & Mekjavic, I. B. (2021) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph18063011 · Cited by 51
Tektunalı Akman, C., Gönen Aydın, C., & Ersoy, G. (2024) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1289448 · Cited by 46
Liang, C.-K., Lee, W.-J., Hwang, A.-C., Lin, C.-S., Chou, M.-Y., Peng, L.-N., Lin, M.-H., & Chen, L.-K. (2021) · Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics · doi:10.1016/j.archger.2021.104392 · Cited by 45
Leal-Martín, J., Muñoz-Muñoz, M., Keadle, S. K., Amaro-Gahete, F., Alegre, L. M., Mañas, A., & Ara, I. (2022) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.1007/s40279-021-01539-1 · Cited by 41
Kawabata, F., Neya, M., Hamazaki, K., Watanabe, Y., Kobayashi, S., & Tsuji, T. (2014) · Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry · doi:10.1080/09168451.2014.946392 · Cited by 36
Exercise Considerations in Older Adults
Buchner, D. M., & Coleman, E. A. (1994) · Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America · doi:10.1016/s1047-9651(18)30530-8 · Cited by 19
Three Months Monitored Metabolic Fitness Modulates Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Diabetic Patients
Cirilli, I., Silvestri, S., Marcheggiani, F., Olivieri, F., Galeazzi, R., Antonicelli, R., Recchioni, R., Marcheselli, F., Bacchetti, T., Tiano, L., et al. (2019) · Diabetes & Metabolism Journal · doi:10.4093/dmj.2018.0254 · Cited by 19
Relf, R., Willmott, A., Flint, M. S., Beale, L., & Maxwell, N. (2019) · Journal of Thermal Biology · doi:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2018.12.019 · Cited by 19
Ruiz-Zafra, A., Orantes-González, E., Noguera, M., Benghazi, K., & Heredia-Jimenez, J. (2015) · Sensors · doi:10.3390/s150818270 · Cited by 13
Occupational physical activity in brewery and office workers
Thompson, J. F., Severson, R. L., & Rosecrance, J. C. (2018) · Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene · doi:10.1080/15459624.2018.1492136 · Cited by 9
Giusti, L., Bianchini, V., Aggio, A., Mammarella, S., Salza, A., Necozione, S., Alunno, A., Ferri, C., Casacchia, M., & Roncone, R. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.903759 · Cited by 6
Alruwaili, A., Nayeemullah, R., Engin, B., Malaikah, S., James, L., Sanders, J. P., Thivel, D., Thackray, A. E., Stensel, D. J., King, J. A., et al. (2025) · Appetite · doi:10.1016/j.appet.2025.108194 · Cited by 6
Klarenberg, H., van der Velde, J. H., Peeters, C. F., Dekkers, I. A., de Mutsert, R., Jukema, J. W., Rosendaal, F. R., Leiner, T., Froeling, M., Jorstad, H., et al. (2024) · BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine · doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2023-001778 · Cited by 4
Grigg, M. J., Thake, C. D., Allgrove, J. E., & Broom, D. R. (2025) · Physiology & Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114914 · Cited by 4
Metadata
- Authors
- Jetté, M., Sidney, K., & Blümchen, G.
- Venue
- Clinical Cardiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1990-08
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 555-565
- ISSN
- 0160-9289 (ISSN-L)
- 1932-8737
- OpenAlex
- W2004844047
- Cited by
- 1,501
- References
- 0
- FWCI
- 8.74
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
Data sources
Bibliographic data: Semantic Scholar, OpenAlex, Crossref.
Contains information from the Semantic Scholar Academic Graph Datasets, made available under the ODC Attribution License (ODC-BY 1.0).
Semantic Scholar’s data is described in: Kinney, R., et al. (2023). The Semantic Scholar Open Data Platform. arXiv:2301.10140.
