Table 2.
Changes in heart rate to estimate energy expenditure (mets) during daily activities*.
| The energy cost of any activity, expressed as METs, can be estimated from the resting and exercise heart rates using the equation: |
|---|
| METs = (6 x Heart Rate Index) – 5 |
| where the Heart Rate Index equals the activity heart rate divided by the resting heart rate. |
| Example #1 A tennis player's resting heart rate of 60 beats per minute (bpm) is increased to 120 bpm during a tennis match. His MET level is estimated as follows: 120 bpm/60 bpm = 2.0 Heart Rate Index which is multiplied by 6, yielding 12, from which we subtract 5, yielding an estimated 7 METs. |
| (120/60 × 6) – 5 = (2 × 6) – 5 = 7 METs |
| Example #2 A recreational walker with a resting heart rate of 70 bpm walks at 105 bpm. Her estimated MET level is…… |
| (105/70 × 6) – 5 = (1.5 × 6) – 5 = 4 METs |