{{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 triathlete in 2005.]] The '''physical activity level''' ('''PAL''') is a way to express a person's daily physical activity as a number and is used to estimate their 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 (BMR), it can be used to compute the amount of food energy a person needs to consume to maintain a particular lifestyle.
== Definition ==
The physical activity level is defined for a non-pregnant, non-lactating adult as that person's total energy expenditure (TEE) in a 24-hour period, divided by his or her 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 |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 |year=2004}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" border=1 |- ! Lifestyle !! Example !! PAL |- | Extremely inactive || Cerebral palsy patient || <1.40 |- | Sedentary || Office worker getting little or no exercise ||1.40-1.69 |- | Moderately active || Construction worker or person running one hour daily || 1.70-1.99 |- | Vigorously active || Agricultural worker (non mechanized) or person swimming two hours daily || 2.00-2.4 |- | Extremely active || Competitive cyclist || >2.40 |}
== See also ==
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Physical Activity Level}} Category:Nutritional physiology Category:Physical exercise Category:Sports nutrition