Metabolic equivalents of task are confounded by adiposity, which disturbs objective measurement of physical activity
Physical activity refers any bodily movements produced by skeletal muscles that expends energy. Hence the amount and the intensity of physical activity can be assessed by energy expenditure. Metabolic equivalents of task (MET) are multiplies of the resting metabolism reflecting metabolic rate during...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2015-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphys.2015.00226/full |
| _version_ | 1818179399289143296 |
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| author | Tuomo T Tompuri |
| author_facet | Tuomo T Tompuri |
| author_sort | Tuomo T Tompuri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Physical activity refers any bodily movements produced by skeletal muscles that expends energy. Hence the amount and the intensity of physical activity can be assessed by energy expenditure. Metabolic equivalents of task (MET) are multiplies of the resting metabolism reflecting metabolic rate during exercise. The standard MET is defined as 3.5 ml/min/kg. However, the expression of energy expenditure by body weight to normalize the size differences between subjects causes analytical hazards: scaling by body weight does not have a physiological, mathematical, or physical rationale. This review demonstrates by examples that false methodology may cause paradoxical observations if physical activity would be assessed by body weight scaled values such as standard METs. While standard METs are confounded by adiposity, lean mass proportional measures of energy expenditure would enable a more truthful choice to assess physical activity. While physical activity as a behavior and cardiorespiratory fitness or adiposity as a state represents major determinants of public health, specific measurements of health determinants must be understood to enable a truthful evaluation of the interactions and their independent role as a health predictor. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T21:03:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-902c72b4d4c64b59875e92cbfc9223c4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T21:03:15Z |
| publishDate | 2015-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-902c72b4d4c64b59875e92cbfc9223c42022-12-22T00:50:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2015-08-01610.3389/fphys.2015.00226142956Metabolic equivalents of task are confounded by adiposity, which disturbs objective measurement of physical activityTuomo T Tompuri0Kuopio University HospitalPhysical activity refers any bodily movements produced by skeletal muscles that expends energy. Hence the amount and the intensity of physical activity can be assessed by energy expenditure. Metabolic equivalents of task (MET) are multiplies of the resting metabolism reflecting metabolic rate during exercise. The standard MET is defined as 3.5 ml/min/kg. However, the expression of energy expenditure by body weight to normalize the size differences between subjects causes analytical hazards: scaling by body weight does not have a physiological, mathematical, or physical rationale. This review demonstrates by examples that false methodology may cause paradoxical observations if physical activity would be assessed by body weight scaled values such as standard METs. While standard METs are confounded by adiposity, lean mass proportional measures of energy expenditure would enable a more truthful choice to assess physical activity. While physical activity as a behavior and cardiorespiratory fitness or adiposity as a state represents major determinants of public health, specific measurements of health determinants must be understood to enable a truthful evaluation of the interactions and their independent role as a health predictor.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphys.2015.00226/fullAdiposityMetabolic Equivalentphysical activityEnergy ExpenditureMetIntensity |
| spellingShingle | Tuomo T Tompuri Metabolic equivalents of task are confounded by adiposity, which disturbs objective measurement of physical activity Frontiers in Physiology Adiposity Metabolic Equivalent physical activity Energy Expenditure Met Intensity |
| title | Metabolic equivalents of task are confounded by adiposity, which disturbs objective measurement of physical activity |
| title_full | Metabolic equivalents of task are confounded by adiposity, which disturbs objective measurement of physical activity |
| title_fullStr | Metabolic equivalents of task are confounded by adiposity, which disturbs objective measurement of physical activity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Metabolic equivalents of task are confounded by adiposity, which disturbs objective measurement of physical activity |
| title_short | Metabolic equivalents of task are confounded by adiposity, which disturbs objective measurement of physical activity |
| title_sort | metabolic equivalents of task are confounded by adiposity which disturbs objective measurement of physical activity |
| topic | Adiposity Metabolic Equivalent physical activity Energy Expenditure Met Intensity |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphys.2015.00226/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tuomottompuri metabolicequivalentsoftaskareconfoundedbyadipositywhichdisturbsobjectivemeasurementofphysicalactivity |