# Physical activity level

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_activity_level
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{{Short description|Way of expressing a person's daily physical activity}}
{{Tone|date=February 2024}}
[[File:Soldier running in water.jpg|thumb|right|[United States Marine](/source/United_States_Marine) triathlete in 2005.]]
The '''physical activity level''' ('''PAL''') is a way to express a person's daily [physical activity](/source/physical_activity) as a number and is used to estimate their [energy expenditure](/source/energy_expenditure).<ref>{{cite web |last= |first= |date=1994-11-04 |title=Total Energy Expenditure (TEE) and Physical Activity Levels (PAL) in Adults |url=https://getfitup.com/blogs/training/total-energy-expenditure-and-physical-activity-levels |accessdate=2024-05-23 |work=getfitup.com |publisher=Getifitup.com}}</ref> In combination with the [basal metabolic rate](/source/basal_metabolic_rate) (BMR), it can be used to compute the amount of [food energy](/source/food_energy) a person needs to consume to maintain a particular lifestyle.

== Definition ==

The physical activity level is defined for a non-[pregnant](/source/pregnancy), non-[lactating](/source/lactation) adult as that person's total energy expenditure (TEE) in a 24-hour period, divided by his or her [basal metabolic rate](/source/basal_metabolic_rate) (BMR):<ref>{{cite web |title=Human energy requirements: Principles and Definitions |url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5686e/y5686e04.htm |work=Report of a Joint FAO/WHO/UNU Expert Consultation |publisher=[Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations](/source/Food_and_Agriculture_Organization_of_the_United_Nations) |year=2004 |accessdate=2009-10-15}}</ref>

:<math>\text{PAL}=\frac{TEE_{24h}}{\text{BMR}}</math>

The level of physical activity can also be estimated based on a list of the physical activities a person performs from day to day. Each activity is connected to a number, the '''physical activity ratio'''. The physical activity level is then the time-weighted average of the physical activity ratios.

== Examples ==
The following table shows indicative numbers for the '''Physical activity level''' for several lifestyles:<ref>{{cite web |title=Human energy requirements: Energy Requirement of Adults |url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5686e/y5686e07.htm |work=Report of a Joint FAO/WHO/UNU Expert Consultation |publisher=[Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations](/source/Food_and_Agriculture_Organization_of_the_United_Nations) |year=2004}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" border=1
|-
! Lifestyle !! Example !! PAL
|-
|  Extremely inactive || [Cerebral palsy](/source/Cerebral_palsy) patient || <1.40
|-
|  Sedentary || Office worker getting little or no exercise ||1.40-1.69
|-
|  Moderately active || Construction worker or person [running](/source/running) one hour daily || 1.70-1.99
|-
|  Vigorously active || Agricultural worker (non mechanized) or person [swimming](/source/human_swimming) two hours daily || 2.00-2.4
|-
|  Extremely active || [Competitive cyclist](/source/Bicycle_racing) || >2.40
|}

== See also ==

* [Schofield equation](/source/Schofield_equation)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Physical Activity Level}}
Category:Nutritional physiology
Category:Physical exercise
Category:Sports nutrition

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Physical activity level](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_activity_level) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_activity_level?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.