Calorique

Compendium of Physical Activities MET Values Dataset 2026

Free downloadable JSON: 114 physical activities with MET values aligned to the 2024 Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al.). Categories include cardio, strength training, sports, household activities, recreational pursuits, and occupational tasks. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 — free for academic, fitness app, and commercial use with attribution.

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Download JSON (9KB, 114 records)

Format: JSON with embedded schema.org/Dataset metadata header. License: CC BY 4.0. Citation: Calorique (2026). MET Values Dataset, aligned to Ainsworth et al. 2024.

What is a MET?

MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) is a standardized measure of energy expenditure. 1 MET = approximately 1 kcal/kg of body weight per hour (the energy spent at rest). An activity at 6 MET burns 6× the resting rate, so a 70 kg person at 6 MET burns ~420 kcal/hour. The MET system was originally proposed by Ainsworth et al. (1993) and has been the standard reference for exercise physiology, public health, fitness apps, and calorie calculators since.

Schema

FieldTypeDescription
slugstringURL-safe identifier (e.g., walking, running, swimming)
namestringCommon activity name
metnumberMET value (1.0 = rest, 8.0+ = vigorous)
categorystringCardio | Strength | Sports | Household | Recreational | Occupational

Sample records

[
  { "slug": "walking", "name": "Walking", "met": 3.5, "category": "Cardio" },
  { "slug": "running", "name": "Running (5 mph)", "met": 8.3, "category": "Cardio" },
  { "slug": "speed-bag", "name": "Speed Bag", "met": 6.0, "category": "Strength" },
  { "slug": "powerlifting", "name": "Powerlifting", "met": 6.0, "category": "Strength" },
  { "slug": "kettlebell-circuit", "name": "Kettlebell Circuit", "met": 8.0, "category": "Strength" },
  { "slug": "swimming-laps-vigorous", "name": "Swimming Laps (Vigorous)", "met": 9.8, "category": "Cardio" },
  { "slug": "yoga-vinyasa", "name": "Yoga (Vinyasa)", "met": 4.0, "category": "Strength" }
]

How to use this dataset

Calorie burn calculation:

calories_per_hour = MET × body_weight_kg
calories_per_session = (MET × body_weight_kg × duration_minutes) / 60

Example:
  Activity: running (8.3 MET)
  Body weight: 75 kg
  Duration: 30 min

  cal/hr = 8.3 × 75 = 622.5 kcal/hr
  cal/session = (8.3 × 75 × 30) / 60 = 311 kcal

Caveat: MET values are population averages. Highly conditioned athletes may burn 10-25% LESS than predicted at the same MET (more efficient muscle); deconditioned individuals 10-20% MORE. Heart rate-based wearables (Apple Watch, Garmin, Whoop) are typically more accurate per-individual than MET tables.

Source & methodology

Use cases

Citation

Calorique (2026). Compendium of Physical Activities MET Values Dataset 2026. Version 2026.04. https://calorique.io/met-values-dataset-2026-compendium-of-physical-activities-114-activities-downloadable-json-ainsworth/ — Aligned to Ainsworth et al. 2024 Compendium of Physical Activities. Licensed CC BY 4.0.

Related Calorique resources

Disclaimer: MET values are population averages from healthy adults under controlled lab conditions. Use as estimates, not exact predictions, for any individual. Medical conditions affecting metabolism (thyroid, diabetes, medications) can shift actual energy expenditure ±20% from MET-predicted values. Consult a registered exercise physiologist or physician for clinical applications.