MET-Minutes

MET-minutes are a way to combine the intensity and duration of physical activity into a single quantity. A metabolic equivalent, or MET, expresses the energy cost of an activity as a multiple of resting metabolic rate. Multiplying an activity's MET value by the number of minutes performed gives its MET-minute total .¹

For example, an activity assigned 4 METs and performed for 30 minutes contributes 120 MET-minutes. Totals can be summed across different activities or days, which is why MET-minutes per week are commonly used in physical-activity questionnaires and guidelines. The measure allows time spent at different intensities to contribute proportionally rather than treating every active minute as identical .¹

MET-minutes are an index of activity exposure, not a direct measurement of calories burned by a particular person. Standard MET values are population-level approximations, and the true metabolic cost can vary with body size, fitness, age, technique, terrain, and other factors. A MET-minute also should not be confused with a minute spent above a specific heart-rate threshold. It is calculated from an assigned or measured metabolic intensity multiplied by time .¹