Physical Activity Levels explained

An individual's activity level reflects their average pattern of daily activity. The activity levels you can choose from in FoodWorks are based on research and are predefined.

You choose an activity level on the General tab of a food diary or meal plan. In the Activity box, a drop-down menu offers a number of choices ranging from bed-rest, the typical pattern of an invalid, to very heavy, for individuals involved in elite sport or heavy labour.  Each activity level corresponds to a number (an activity factor) which is used in the calculation of the individual's estimated energy requirements.

Types of activity

Activity levels are based on patterns of activity for a whole day. Think of the 24 hours as consisting of different types of activity – such as sleeping, sitting or lying quietly (e.g. resting or watching tv), sitting doing things (e.g. eating or working), and standing/walking doing lighter or heavier tasks.

The amount of time you spend in the different types of activity determines your activity level. On average, how many hours a day do you spend...

• Sleeping overnight
• Sitting quietlyor lying quietly—includes reading, thinking, listening, watching tv, being a passenger in a vehicle
• Sitting, busy includes talking, eating, playing cards, typing, driving a vehicle, sewing, handcrafts, writing
• Light on-foot activities involving some walking and moving around or active work
  e.g. sweeping, hanging washing, strolling, slow shopping, light domestic chores, production line, handyman work, light gardening
  e.g. lawn bowls, golf, walking (average pace)
• Moderate on-foot activities involving walking or moving around quite a lot and activities which involve some bursts of heavy work
  e.g. vacuuming, vigourous sweeping, pushing wheelbarrow, bricklaying, carpentry
  e.g. tennis (moderate pace), sailing, badminton, dancing, walking (fast)
• Strenuous activities
  e.g. very heavy gardening and home activities such as digging, chopping wood; very heavy building or lifting
  e.g. tennis (fast pace), swimming (moderate pace), cycling (fast pace), football, jogging/running (7 km/hr), weight training, walking fast with a load or uphill
• Very strenuous activities
  e.g. swimming (racing pace), rowing (racing pace), cycling (racing pace), squash (fast pace), running (10-15 km/hr)

Choose your Activity Level

To choose an activity level, you can compare your pattern of activity with the examples in the table below. It must be remembered that the pattern you choose should represent an average day. Many people are perturbed to find that their activity level is lower than they expected—perhaps sedentary, or for office workers who drive to work, even very sedentary.

Look at the following examples and see which matches your daily activity pattern most closely. These are examples only, and your own particular pattern might diverge in some areas. Confirm your choice by looking at the level above and below.

Reference

Warwick, P.M., Predicting food energy requirements from estimates of energy expenditure, in Truswell AS, Dreosti IE, English RM, Palmer NP and Rutishauser I (eds). Recommended nutrient intakes: Australian papers. Sydney: Australian Professional Publishers, 1990.