Which activity typically burns the most calories per hour for the average adult when performed at moderate to vigorous intensity?

• A. Cycling
• B. Aerobics
• C. Swimming
• D. Walking

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that calorie burn depends on the intensity and duration of the activity, as well as the individual's body weight and metabolism.
2. Step 2: Recognize that activities like cycling, aerobics, swimming, and walking have different metabolic equivalents (METs), which estimate the energy cost of physical activities.
3. Step 3: Note that swimming generally has a higher MET value compared to walking, cycling, and aerobics when performed at moderate to vigorous intensity, indicating higher calorie expenditure.
4. Step 4: To compare, use the formula for calories burned per hour: \(\text{Calories burned} = \text{MET} \times \text{weight in kg} \times 1\) hour\( \times 3.5 / 200\).
5. Step 5: By applying this formula with typical MET values for each activity, you can see that swimming usually results in the highest calorie burn per hour among the options given.