Weekly MET-Minutes Calculator
Written by Thierno Sadou Diallo, formula verified per our methodology • Last checked on 10/10/2026
Weekly MET-minutes are calculated by adding, for each activity, (MET value × duration in minutes × number of sessions per week). The IPAQ research questionnaire considers 600 MET-minutes per week as the threshold for sufficient physical activity.
Explanation
A MET (metabolic equivalent) is a unit that expresses the intensity of a physical activity relative to resting metabolism: one MET corresponds to the energy expenditure of sitting at rest, and an activity at 8 METs burns eight times more energy than rest. Weekly MET-minutes combine the intensity (MET) and the volume (total duration) of activity performed over a week, without needing to know body weight — unlike our calories burned by MET calculator, which estimates a precise calorie expenditure for a single session and depends directly on the person's weight. The WHO recommends, in its guidelines, 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity per week (or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity), a recommendation expressed in minutes rather than MET-minutes. The IPAQ (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), a widely used research standard for assessing a population's physical activity level, operationalizes this same principle in MET-minutes: it classifies weekly physical activity as insufficient below 600 MET-minutes, sufficient between 600 and 3000, and high above 3000. These two benchmarks (WHO minutes and IPAQ MET-minutes) measure the same general principle in two different forms, without being strictly identical or interchangeable figure for figure: this calculator lets you track the MET-minutes benchmark, more precise for comparing activities of very different intensities. Physical activity is only one lever of overall energy balance: see also our calorie needs calculator for the intake side of that same balance.
Example: running and brisk walking combined
Inputs
Activity 1: running (8 METs), 30 minutes, 3 sessions/week. Activity 2: brisk walking (4 METs), 20 minutes, 2 sessions/week.
Calculation
Activity 1: 8 × 30 × 3 = 720 MET-minutes. Activity 2: 4 × 20 × 2 = 160 MET-minutes. Total = 720 + 160 = 880 MET-minutes.
Result
This total of 880 weekly MET-minutes exceeds the 600 MET-minute threshold considered sufficient activity by the IPAQ questionnaire.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 600 MET-minute threshold an official WHO recommendation?
No: the WHO expresses its recommendations in minutes of activity (150 to 300 moderate minutes, or 75 to 150 vigorous minutes, per week), not directly in MET-minutes. The 600 MET-minute threshold comes from the IPAQ questionnaire, a separate research tool widely used to classify a population's physical activity level into three categories (insufficient, sufficient, high). The two benchmarks cover the same general principle but are not strictly identical figure for figure.
Should I aim for exactly 3000 MET-minutes, or is more always better?
According to the IPAQ classification, exceeding 3000 MET-minutes per week corresponds to a high level of physical activity, a category that doesn't necessarily imply a higher goal to pursue at all costs: the main benchmark remains reaching at least the 600 weekly MET-minute threshold considered sufficient, with activity beyond that remaining beneficial without a strict recommended maximum for a healthy adult.
How do I estimate the MET value of an activity not listed in the examples given?
The Compendium of Physical Activities, a regularly updated academic reference widely used by researchers and health professionals, lists the MET values of several hundred specific activities, from light gardening to competitive sport. Failing that, a rough estimate by comparison with a similar already-known activity remains preferable to an invented value.