Screen Time vs Exercise Calculator
Discover the calorie cost of sedentary screen time and what you could gain by moving more
Your Screen Time vs Exercise Balance
What If You Changed?
See the impact of small changes over time
Understanding Screen Time and Exercise Balance
The average adult spends over seven hours a day in front of a screen, including work computers, smartphones, tablets, and televisions. While screens are essential tools in modern life, excessive sedentary screen time has been linked to increased risks of obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and even certain cancers. When you sit for prolonged periods, your metabolic rate drops to its baseline, your muscles disengage, and your body burns the minimum number of calories needed to sustain basic functions.
The calorie difference between sitting and light physical activity is more significant than most people realize. Sitting burns roughly 1.3 METs (Metabolic Equivalent of Task), while walking at a moderate pace burns about 3.5 METs -- nearly three times as much energy. For a 70 kg person, this means an extra 154 calories burned per hour of walking compared to sitting. Multiply that by several hours of daily screen time, and the yearly calorie gap can equate to over 10 kilograms of potential body fat, illustrating why sedentary behavior is such a powerful driver of weight gain.
Exercise is the most effective antidote to sedentary screen habits, but the relationship is not a simple one-to-one trade. Research from the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that 30 to 40 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day can significantly offset the health risks of prolonged sitting. However, this does not fully eliminate the metabolic consequences of extended sedentary periods. Health organizations now recommend breaking up screen time with movement breaks every 30 to 60 minutes, in addition to dedicated exercise sessions, for optimal metabolic health.
Finding your personal screen-time-to-exercise balance is not about eliminating screens entirely but about making intentional choices. Simple strategies include standing or walking during phone calls, using a treadmill desk, setting hourly movement reminders, and replacing leisure screen time with active hobbies. Even replacing just one hour of daily screen time with walking can burn an additional 56,000 calories per year -- equivalent to roughly 7 kilograms of body fat. Small shifts in daily habits compound into transformative long-term results.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter your total daily screen time in hours. Include all recreational and non-essential screen use such as TV, social media, gaming, and casual browsing.
- Enter the number of minutes you spend doing intentional exercise each day. This includes walking, running, gym workouts, sports, or any deliberate physical activity.
- Enter your body weight and use the kg/lbs toggle to switch between metric and imperial units.
- Click "Calculate Balance" to see your personalized balance score, calorie comparisons, exercise offset, and yearly impact projections.
- Review the "What If" scenarios to see how small daily changes could transform your health over weeks, months, and years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories does sitting burn per hour?
Sitting quietly burns approximately 1.3 METs, which translates to about 68 calories per hour for a 75 kg (165 lb) person. This is only slightly above your basal metabolic rate. By comparison, standing burns about 1.8 METs and walking at a moderate pace burns 3.5 METs, making even gentle movement a significant calorie upgrade over sitting.
How much exercise do I need to offset screen time?
Research suggests that 30 to 40 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day can substantially reduce the health risks associated with prolonged sitting. However, for every hour of screen time, even 5 to 10 minutes of light activity like walking can help counteract the metabolic slowdown. The key is combining dedicated exercise with frequent movement breaks throughout the day.
What is a good screen-time-to-exercise ratio?
Health experts recommend aiming for at least 1 minute of moderate exercise for every 5 to 10 minutes of screen time as a general guideline. A ratio of 4:1 (screen hours to exercise hours) or better is considered healthy. If you spend 8 hours on screens, 2 hours of physical activity throughout the day would put you in a strong position. Our balance score rates your personal ratio on a 0-100 scale.
Does standing at a desk count as offsetting screen time?
Standing burns about 40% more calories than sitting (1.8 METs vs 1.3 METs), so it is a meaningful improvement. However, standing still does not provide the cardiovascular and muscular benefits of walking or exercise. A standing desk is a good complement to an active lifestyle, but should not be considered a replacement for genuine exercise. Alternating between sitting, standing, and walking throughout the day is the ideal approach.
Can short exercise sessions offset long screen time?
Yes, even short bouts of exercise are beneficial. Studies show that breaking up prolonged sitting with just 2 to 3 minutes of walking every 30 minutes can improve blood sugar regulation and metabolic markers. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions of 15 to 20 minutes can also burn significant calories and provide cardiovascular benefits that help counteract sedentary hours. Every minute of movement counts.
How is the balance score calculated?
The balance score (0-100) considers the ratio of your exercise time to screen time, weighted by the calorie impact of each. A score of 80 or above means your exercise effectively compensates for your sedentary screen time. Scores below 40 indicate that screen time significantly outweighs physical activity. The score factors in both the duration and the metabolic intensity difference between sitting and moderate exercise.
What are the long-term health effects of too much screen time?
Prolonged sedentary screen time is associated with increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, deep vein thrombosis, poor posture, eye strain, disrupted sleep patterns, and mental health issues including anxiety and depression. A 2020 meta-analysis found that adults sitting more than 8 hours per day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to that posed by obesity and smoking. Regular exercise and movement breaks can significantly mitigate these risks.
