Walking at 3 mph corresponds to approximately how many METs?

• A. 2.0 METs
• B. 4.0 METs
• C. 6.0 METs
• D. 3.0 METs

Answer: (D)

METs measure how much energy your body uses during activity relative to resting. Walking at about 3 mph increases energy expenditure to roughly three times resting, which places it around 3.0 METs. While some references list 3.3 METs for this pace, 3.0 METs is a common, convenient approximation used in many practical charts and calculators. This pace is slower than brisk walking (which is higher in METs) and faster than very slow walking (which is lower), so 3.0 METs fits the moderate, everyday walking speed of 3 mph. This concept matters when estimating calories burned, since calories per minute can be approximated by METs times a factor that includes body weight.