In a previous paper, the basal metabolism and working metabolism, mainly the R. M. R. of various fundamental household activities of college girls has been reported. This study was conducted at an apartment house located at AOTO, TOKYO. Three young college girls who also served as subjects in the previous study were selected.
The subjects performed various daily activities in a 2-DK type apartment just in the same way as the home worker actually does her routine work.
The R. M. R. of routine activities-cooking, dish washing, cleaning activities, bed making and bed-removing, bathing, ascending and descending the stairs was measured.
Methods
Observations were made from August 1 to August 5, 1961. Respiratory gas was collected in a Douglas bag and analyzed. The apparatus employed was a Roken type gas analyzer.
Results
The R. M. R. values of the following activities are given below:
Kind of
Activity R. M. R. Time consumed in each activity
I Cooking (in the day time) 0.87 32′28″
″ (in the evening) 1.21 60′05″
Dish washing 1.27 11′14″
II Bed making and Bed removing*
Bed making (Setting the bed) 3.91 2′45″
Bed removing 4.08 2′28″
(*Putting the bed back into the closet)
III Cleaning
Sweeping (manual work) 3.61 4′15″
Sweeping with electric cleaner 2.68 9′51″
Wiping 3.75 7′00″
Cleaning the bath room 2.35 12′15″
IV Bathing 2.01 9′15″
V Ascending and Descending the stairs
Going up to the second floor and coming down to the first floor (slowly)
4.35 1′15″
Going up to the second floor and coming down to the first floor (in a hurry) 6.40 35″
Going up to the fourth floor and coming down to the first floor (with empty hands)
5.09 2′13″
Going up to the fourth floor and coming down to the first floor (ascending with luggage descending with empty hands)
5.81 1′40″
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