MET-values of standardised activities in relation to body fat: studies in pregnant and non-pregnant women

Nutrition & Metabolism

Table 3 MET-values^a obtained when six standardised activities were performed by non-pregnant women and by pregnant women in gestational week 32^b

Activity	MET-values^a		p-value^c	Published MET-value^d
	Non-pregnant (n = 22)	Pregnant (n = 22)
Sitting	1.26 ± 0.10	1.12 ± 0.12	0.00017	1.3
Cycling
30 watts	3.48 ± 0.24	3.06 ± 0.29	0.000007	3.5^e
60 watts	4.99 ± 0.43	4.37 ± 0.47	0.00004	4.8^f
Walking
3.2 km/h	3.47 ± 0.32	3.07 ± 0.34	0.0003	2.5
5.6 km/h	5.43 ± 0.54	5.04 ± 0.5^g	0.018	4.3
Running 8 km/h	10.20 ± 0.94^g	8.67 ± 0.89^h	0.00026	8.3

MET, metabolic equivalent of task; ^a Energy expenditure of a woman when performing a specific activity divided by her basal metabolic rate as described in subjects and methods; ^b Values are means ± standard deviations; ^c p for difference between pregnant and non-pregnant groups using unpaired t-test; ^d For non-pregnant individuals [7];
^e Cycling at 30–50 watts; ^f Cycling at 51–89 watts; ^g (n = 21); ^h (n = 9)

ISSN: 1743-7075