Energy expenditure during common sitting and standing tasks: examining the 1.5 MET definition of sedentary behaviour

doi:10.1186/s12889-015-1851-x

Clinical Trial

. 2015 May 29:15:516.

doi: 10.1186/s12889-015-1851-x.

Energy expenditure during common sitting and standing tasks: examining the 1.5 MET definition of sedentary behaviour

Maedeh Mansoubi¹, Natalie Pearson², Stacy A Clemes^{3

4}, Stuart Jh Biddle⁵, Danielle H Bodicoat⁶, Keith Tolfrey⁷, Charlotte L Edwardson^{8

9}, Thomas Yates^{10

11}

Affiliations

¹ School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK. M.Mansoubi@lboro.ac.uk.
² School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK. N.L.Pearson@lboro.ac.uk.
³ School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK. S.A.Clemes@lboro.ac.uk.
⁴ The NIHR Leicester-Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit, Leicester-Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK. S.A.Clemes@lboro.ac.uk.
⁵ Institute of Sport, Exercise & Active Living, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. stuart.biddle@vu.ed.au.
⁶ Leicester Diabetes Centre, Leicester General Hospital, University of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire, UK. dhm6@leicester.ac.uk.
⁷ School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK. K.Tolfrey@lboro.ac.uk.
⁸ The NIHR Leicester-Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit, Leicester-Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK. ce95@leicester.ac.uk.
⁹ Leicester Diabetes Centre, Leicester General Hospital, University of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire, UK. ce95@leicester.ac.uk.
¹⁰ The NIHR Leicester-Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit, Leicester-Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK. ty20@leicester.ac.uk.
¹¹ Leicester Diabetes Centre, Leicester General Hospital, University of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire, UK. ty20@leicester.ac.uk.

PMID: 26021449
PMCID: PMC4448542
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-1851-x

Clinical Trial

Energy expenditure during common sitting and standing tasks: examining the 1.5 MET definition of sedentary behaviour

Maedeh Mansoubi et al. BMC Public Health. 2015.

. 2015 May 29:15:516.

doi: 10.1186/s12889-015-1851-x.

Authors

Maedeh Mansoubi¹, Natalie Pearson², Stacy A Clemes^{3

4}, Stuart Jh Biddle⁵, Danielle H Bodicoat⁶, Keith Tolfrey⁷, Charlotte L Edwardson^{8

9}, Thomas Yates^{10

11}

Affiliations

¹ School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK. M.Mansoubi@lboro.ac.uk.
² School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK. N.L.Pearson@lboro.ac.uk.
³ School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK. S.A.Clemes@lboro.ac.uk.
⁴ The NIHR Leicester-Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit, Leicester-Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK. S.A.Clemes@lboro.ac.uk.
⁵ Institute of Sport, Exercise & Active Living, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. stuart.biddle@vu.ed.au.
⁶ Leicester Diabetes Centre, Leicester General Hospital, University of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire, UK. dhm6@leicester.ac.uk.
⁷ School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK. K.Tolfrey@lboro.ac.uk.
⁸ The NIHR Leicester-Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit, Leicester-Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK. ce95@leicester.ac.uk.
⁹ Leicester Diabetes Centre, Leicester General Hospital, University of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire, UK. ce95@leicester.ac.uk.
¹⁰ The NIHR Leicester-Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit, Leicester-Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK. ty20@leicester.ac.uk.
¹¹ Leicester Diabetes Centre, Leicester General Hospital, University of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire, UK. ty20@leicester.ac.uk.

PMID: 26021449
PMCID: PMC4448542
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-1851-x

Abstract

Background: Sedentary behavior is defined as any waking behavior characterized by an energy expenditure of 1.5 METS or less while in a sitting or reclining posture. This study examines this definition by assessing the energy cost (METs) of common sitting, standing and walking tasks.

Methods: Fifty one adults spent 10 min during each activity in a variety of sitting tasks (watching TV, Playing on the Wii, Playing on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) and typing) and non-sedentary tasks (standing still, walking at 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6 mph). Activities were completed on the same day in a random order following an assessment of resting metabolic rate (RMR). A portable gas analyzer was used to measure oxygen uptake, and data were converted to units of energy expenditure (METs).

Results: Average of standardized MET values for screen-based sitting tasks were: 1.33 (SD: 0.24) METS (TV), 1.41 (SD: 0.28) (PSP), and 1.45 (SD: 0.32) (Typing). The more active, yet still seated, games on the Wii yielded an average of 2.06 (SD: 0.5) METS. Standing still yielded an average of 1.59 (SD: 0.37) METs. Walking MET values increased incrementally with speed from 2.17 to 2.99 (SD: 0.5 - 0.69) METs.

Conclusions: The suggested 1.5 MET threshold for sedentary behaviors seems reasonable however some sitting based activities may be classified as non-sedentary. The effect of this on the definition of sedentary behavior and associations with metabolic health needs further investigation.

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Figures

**Fig. 1**
Flowchart for the participants included in the study

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References

1. Clemes SA, O’Connell SE, Edwardson CE. Office workers objectively measured sedentary behaviour and physical activity during and OutsideWorking hours. J Occup Environ Med. 2014;56(3):298–303. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000101. - DOI - PubMed
1. Proper KI, Singh AS, van Mechelen W, Chinapaw MJ. Sedentary behaviors and health outcomes among adults: a systematic review of prospective studies. Am J Prev Med. 2011;40:174–182. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2010.10.015. - DOI - PubMed
1. Wilmot EG, Edwardson CL, Achana FA, Davies MJ, Gorely T, Gray LJ, et al. Sedentary time in adults and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death: systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetologia. 2012;55:2895–2905. doi: 10.1007/s00125-012-2677-z. - DOI - PubMed
1. Edwardson CL, Gorely T, Davies MJ, Gray LJ, Khunti K, Wilmot EG, et al. Association of sedentary behaviour with metabolic syndrome: a meta-analysis. PloS One. 2012;7:e34916. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0034916. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Lynch BM. Sedentary behavior and cancer: a systematic review of the literature and proposed biological mechanisms. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010;19:2691–2709. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-0815. - DOI - PubMed

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[1] Clemes SA, O’Connell SE, Edwardson CE. Office workers objectively measured sedentary behaviour and physical activity during and OutsideWorking hours. J Occup Environ Med. 2014;56(3):298–303. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000101. - DOI - PubMed

[2] Clemes SA, O’Connell SE, Edwardson CE. Office workers objectively measured sedentary behaviour and physical activity during and OutsideWorking hours. J Occup Environ Med. 2014;56(3):298–303. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000101. - DOI - PubMed

[3] Proper KI, Singh AS, van Mechelen W, Chinapaw MJ. Sedentary behaviors and health outcomes among adults: a systematic review of prospective studies. Am J Prev Med. 2011;40:174–182. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2010.10.015. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Proper KI, Singh AS, van Mechelen W, Chinapaw MJ. Sedentary behaviors and health outcomes among adults: a systematic review of prospective studies. Am J Prev Med. 2011;40:174–182. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2010.10.015. - DOI - PubMed

[5] Wilmot EG, Edwardson CL, Achana FA, Davies MJ, Gorely T, Gray LJ, et al. Sedentary time in adults and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death: systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetologia. 2012;55:2895–2905. doi: 10.1007/s00125-012-2677-z. - DOI - PubMed

[6] Wilmot EG, Edwardson CL, Achana FA, Davies MJ, Gorely T, Gray LJ, et al. Sedentary time in adults and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death: systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetologia. 2012;55:2895–2905. doi: 10.1007/s00125-012-2677-z. - DOI - PubMed

[7] Edwardson CL, Gorely T, Davies MJ, Gray LJ, Khunti K, Wilmot EG, et al. Association of sedentary behaviour with metabolic syndrome: a meta-analysis. PloS One. 2012;7:e34916. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0034916. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[8] Edwardson CL, Gorely T, Davies MJ, Gray LJ, Khunti K, Wilmot EG, et al. Association of sedentary behaviour with metabolic syndrome: a meta-analysis. PloS One. 2012;7:e34916. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0034916. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Lynch BM. Sedentary behavior and cancer: a systematic review of the literature and proposed biological mechanisms. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010;19:2691–2709. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-0815. - DOI - PubMed

[10] Lynch BM. Sedentary behavior and cancer: a systematic review of the literature and proposed biological mechanisms. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010;19:2691–2709. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-0815. - DOI - PubMed

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Energy expenditure during common sitting and standing tasks: examining the 1.5 MET definition of sedentary behaviour

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Energy expenditure during common sitting and standing tasks: examining the 1.5 MET definition of sedentary behaviour

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