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Part of this article is taken from the latest Food Magazine - out now!

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Burning calories - the fast way, and the slow way
Friday 30th April 2004

In January's Food Magazine we gave a list of of calorie expenditure for different physical activities in our 'What the Doctor Reads' report. Since then we have received several letters requesting information on calorie use for more sedentary behaviour.

Some teachers, for instance, wrote to say that they would find information about sedentary activities useful, to help children make the comparison between playing sport and watching sport.

Two tables follow, one showing calorie expenditure during sedentary behaviour, the other showing calorie expenditure during different activities over a 20 minute period.

Energy expenditure and activity - sedentary behaviour
This table gives the energy you would expend above your basal level (measured asleep). As you will see, some of the 'activities' burn so few calories they are hardly worth recording. A sign of the times, perhaps.
 
Kcalories
Using TV remote control
<1
Getting up to change TV channel
3
Sitting, talking on the phone, 30 min
4
Letting dog out of the back door
2
Walking the dog, 30 minutes
125
Using pre-cut vegetables
0
Washing, cutting vegetables, 15 min
12
Using auto car wash
18
Washing and waxing car, 1 hour
300
Using a lift, 3 floors
<1
Walking up 3 floors
15
Sending email to colleague, 4 min
2
Walking and talking to colleague, 4 min
6
Shopping on-line, 1 hour
30
Shopping, pushing trolley, 1 hour
200
Source: Mayo Clinic Proceedings (77) 2002

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Burning calories during different activities
The following chart shows approximate calorie expenditure for a range of activities:

Activity
Kcalories used in 20 minutes of activity
Aerobic dancing - low intensity, equivalent to walking
80
Aerobic dancing - medium intensity, equivalent to jogging
130
Aerobic dancing - high intensity, equivalent to running
170
Bed making
100
Cleaning windows
60
Cleaning stairs
65
Climbing stairs (72 steps per minute)
95
Climbing stairs (92 steps per minute)
130
Cycling on flat ground ('own speed')
125
Dancing (waltz)
130
Dusting
70
Gardening
110
Golf
100
Knitting
25
Office work (general)
25
Operating electric sewing machine
25
Playing cricket
160
Playing pool
65
Playing squash
200
Playing tennis
140
Playing football
140
Playing table tennis
90
Playing cards
40
Running (speed unspecified)
190
Sitting typing
30
Walking on the level (1-2 km per hour)
45
Walking on the level (4-5 km per hour)
85
Watching football
40
Source: Human Energy Requirements: A manual for planners and nutritionists, by WPT James and EC Schofield, published by the Oxford University Press (1990).

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The Food Magazine reports on children's food and drink and other food issues in the UK. An annual subscription costs£25.00 (individuals/non-profit) or£50.00 (corporate). Published every three months. Click here to subscribe.

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