Many people wonder if activities that seem sedentary, like knitting, contribute to their daily energy expenditure. Any activity requiring muscle movement beyond lying still causes the body to burn calories. While knitting will not replace a dedicated exercise routine, it slightly elevates the body’s metabolic rate above the resting level. This caloric burn is minimal, but it can accumulate over long periods, contributing to the overall daily energy balance.
The Role of Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)
The mechanism by which knitting expends energy is classified scientifically as Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, or NEAT. NEAT encompasses all the calories burned from physical activity that is not sleeping, eating, or structured exercise. This includes a wide range of movements, from walking to work and performing household chores to small actions like fidgeting, typing, or standing up.
Knitting is a light physical activity. This constant, low-level expenditure is distinct from Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the energy required to keep the body’s fundamental systems functioning at complete rest. By engaging the muscles in the hands, wrists, and forearms, knitting elevates the body’s energy use above the BMR.
NEAT is a highly variable component of daily energy expenditure. Activities like needlework become a small but consistent source of energy use outside of formal workouts. The cumulative impact of these minor movements throughout the day can account for a considerable portion of an individual’s non-resting energy needs.
Calculating Caloric Expenditure While Knitting
To quantify the energy used during knitting, scientists use a metric called the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET). A MET is a ratio that compares the energy cost of a specific physical activity to the energy expended while resting, with one MET representing the body’s resting metabolic rate. Activities that require slightly more effort will have a MET value greater than 1.0.
Knitting is typically classified as a very light activity, often assigned a MET value of approximately 1.3. This means that knitting expends about 30 percent more calories than sitting at rest. For an individual weighing around 70 kilograms, sitting at rest (MET 1.0) burns about 70 calories per hour.
Using the MET value of 1.3, that same person would expend approximately 91 calories in one hour of knitting. The formula for this estimation is the MET value multiplied by the person’s weight in kilograms, multiplied by the duration in hours. While this modest increase of 21 calories per hour may seem small, it is a measurable difference that can add up over extended crafting sessions.
The energy cost can vary, with some estimates suggesting a burn rate up to 150 calories per hour, depending heavily on the pace and weight of the materials used. Compared to other light activities, knitting is comparable to very light desk work or typing, which are also often assigned a MET value around 1.3. The repetitive movements of the craft require a sustained, albeit low, level of muscular effort.
Variables That Increase Energy Use
Several practical factors can influence and slightly increase the number of calories burned while knitting. The speed and complexity of the project directly impact the energy requirement, as a faster pace or an intricate pattern demands quicker, more intense hand and finger movements. This greater intensity requires a higher rate of muscular contraction.
The type of yarn and needles used also plays a role in the total effort required. Working with heavy, bulky yarn or large needles necessitates greater arm and shoulder muscle engagement to manipulate the materials, increasing the physical workload. Maintaining good posture, such as sitting upright instead of slouching, recruits core stabilizing muscles that contribute to a minor increase in caloric expenditure.
Cognitive demands can slightly boost the energy burn, as focusing intently on a difficult pattern or counting complex stitches engages the brain and requires a small metabolic expenditure. Incorporating movement by standing or walking slowly while knitting can significantly elevate the energy use. This turns the activity into a light form of ambulation rather than a purely seated task.