How the Sedentary Risk Score is calculated

This calculator produces a 0–100 score where higher means more sedentary risk. It’s not a medical diagnosis. It’s a structured way to translate “I sit a lot” into an actionable number. The score uses six parts: sitting time, breaks, weekly activity, strength training, sleep, and (optional) age. If you add optional BMI and smoking, those slightly increase the score (because they can amplify risk in real life).

Sitting is the largest chunk because it’s the most direct input. We convert your daily sitting hours into points:

• ≤ 4 hours/day: 5 points
• 4–6 hours/day: 15 points
• 6–8 hours/day: 25 points
• 8–10 hours/day: 35 points
• 10–12 hours/day: 45 points
• 12+ hours/day: 50 points

Breaks reduce “continuous sitting,” which matters a lot. We ask for breaks per hour (standing, walking, stretching — anything that interrupts sitting).

• 6+ breaks/hour (about every 10 minutes): 0 points
• 3–5 breaks/hour (every 12–20 minutes): 5 points
• 1–2 breaks/hour (every 30–60 minutes): 10 points
• < 1 break/hour (rarely): 15 points

We combine moderate and vigorous activity into one value called moderate-equivalent minutes: MVPA = moderate minutes + 2 × vigorous minutes. (Vigorous counts double because it’s higher intensity.) Then:

• 300+ MVPA min/week: 0 points
• 150–299: 5 points
• 60–149: 10 points
• 1–59: 15 points
• 0: 20 points

Strength work supports muscle, posture, and metabolic health. It’s a small (but meaningful) bonus:

• 2+ days/week: 0 points
• 1 day/week: 2 points
• 0 days/week: 5 points

Sleep affects energy, recovery, appetite, and mood — and often predicts whether movement habits stick. If you enter sleep:

• 7–9 hours: 0 points
• 6–7 or 9–10: 2 points
• 5–6 or 10–11: 4 points
• < 5 or ≥ 11: 5 points

Age isn’t “good or bad,” but risk accumulates over time. If you enter your age range:

• Under 30: 0 points
• 30–44: 2 points
• 45–59: 4 points
• 60+: 5 points

BMI and smoking are optional because many people don’t want to enter them. If you do:

• BMI 25–29.9: +3 points
• BMI 30–34.9: +6 points
• BMI ≥ 35: +8 points
• Smoking = Yes: +5 points

Finally, we add everything up and cap the result at 100. That’s your Sedentary Risk Score. The important part isn’t the exact number — it’s what moves it. If you want a “cheat code,” add more breaks and add a short daily walk. Those tend to reduce the score quickly.

Realistic examples (so you can sanity-check)

These examples show how the same person can look “high risk” or “moderate” just by changing breaks and weekly movement. Use them to see if your inputs are in the right ballpark.

• Sitting: 9 hours/day → 35 points
• Breaks: 1 per hour → 10 points
• Weekly activity: 150 moderate + 0 vigorous → MVPA 150 → 5 points
• Strength: 2 days → 0 points
• Sleep: 7.5 hours → 0 points
• Total: 50 → High

Takeaway: Even with “meeting guidelines,” long sitting blocks push risk up. Adding 2–3 extra breaks per hour could drop this score into the moderate zone without changing workouts.

• Sitting: 12.5 hours/day → 50 points
• Breaks: 0 per hour → 15 points
• Weekly activity: 20 moderate + 0 vigorous → MVPA 20 → 15 points
• Strength: 0 days → 5 points
• Total: 85 → Very High

Takeaway: This is the classic “I’m not lazy, I’m just glued to a screen” pattern. The fastest fix is hourly breaks + a short after-meal walk.

• Sitting: 4.5 hours/day → 15 points
• Breaks: 4 per hour → 5 points
• Weekly activity: 120 moderate + 60 vigorous → MVPA 240 → 5 points
• Strength: 1 day → 2 points
• Total: 27 → Moderate

Takeaway: This is what “pretty good” looks like. One extra strength session or a little more weekly movement can push the score down into low risk.

• Sitting: 9 hours/day → 35 points
• Breaks: 4 per hour → 5 points
• Weekly activity: 90 moderate + 30 vigorous → MVPA 150 → 5 points
• Total: 45 → Moderate

Takeaway: Breaks are leverage. The score changes even without a big workout plan.

How to use this calculator (and make it go viral)

Here’s the simple loop that makes this tool useful (and shareable):

• Step 1: Enter a normal day’s sitting time and your current weekly movement.
• Step 2: Screenshot the result card (score + category + plan).
• Step 3: Share it in a group chat and ask: “What’s your score?”
• Step 4: Pick one habit for 7 days (usually breaks or after-meal walks).
• Step 5: Recalculate in 7 days and share the before/after.

Most calculators give you a number and stop. This one is built to create a before/after story. Before/after posts are naturally viral because people want to compare, compete, and improve.

• Set a timer: stand up every 45 minutes (1 minute).
• After lunch: 8-minute walk.
• Two days this week: 15 minutes of bodyweight strength.
• Recalculate on day 7 and share the delta.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is “sedentary risk” the same as being unfit?

  Not always. You can work out 3–4 times per week and still be sedentary if you sit the rest of the day. This score is specifically about how much of your day is spent sitting and how often you interrupt it.

• What counts as a “break”?

  Anything that interrupts sitting: standing up, walking to the kitchen, stretching for 30–60 seconds, doing a quick set of squats, or pacing during a phone call. The goal is to break long uninterrupted sitting blocks.

• Do short walks actually matter?

  Yes — especially after meals. A 5–10 minute walk can be a surprisingly high-impact habit because it’s easy, consistent, and adds up fast over a week.

• What if I don’t know my weekly activity minutes?

  Estimate. If you walk for 20 minutes three times per week, that’s about 60 minutes. If you play a sport hard for 30 minutes twice a week, that’s 60 vigorous minutes (counts as 120 MVPA).

• Is this medically validated?

  No. It’s an educational scoring model designed to be understandable and actionable. If you want clinical guidance, talk to a healthcare professional.

• How can I lower my score the fastest?

  Add breaks first. If you currently take 0–1 breaks per hour, increasing to 3–5 breaks per hour is often the quickest drop. Then add a short daily walk.

• Should I stand all day instead of sitting?

  Standing can help, but the real win is variety. Alternate sitting, standing, and walking. If standing causes pain, focus on frequent movement breaks and posture changes.