Schoolbag weight carriage by primary school pupils

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lasota, Andrzej

Affiliations: Institute of Technology and Computer Education, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Szafrana 4 Street, 65–516 Zielona Góra, Poland. Tel.: +48 683 284 717; Fax: +48 683 284 710; E-mail: a.lasota@eti.uz.zgora.pl

Abstract: BACKGROUND: School children usually use a backpack to carry their school materials. Carrying heavy schoolbags exceeding the recommended limit may have negative health implications. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the weight of schoolbags carried by primary school pupils (aged 7–9 years) in Grades 1–3 and determine how many pupils carry backpacks in excess of the recommended limit of 10 per cent of body weight (%BW). A comparison of the schoolbag weight carried by male and female pupils will also be performed. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and eight healthy pupils chosen at random from two participating schools from south-west Poland; 54 male and 54 female. METHODS: The personal body weight scale was used for measuring the weight. The height and weight of each participating pupil was measured, and the schoolbag weight of every participant checked over five consecutive days, from Monday to Friday. RESULTS: The mean schoolbag weight of Grade 1 pupils was 3.23 kg, (i.e.13.1%BW); of Grade 2 pupils, 3.61 kg (i.e.12.9%BW) and of Grade 3 pupils 3.37 kg (i.e. 11.1%BW). CONCLUSIONS: 78.3% of Grade 1 pupils, 43.3% of Grade 2 pupils and 40.0% of Grade 3 pupils carried backpacks exceeding 10%BW. There were no statistically significant differences between the mean schoolbag weight of males and females in particular school grades.

Keywords: Backpack weight, load carriage, children

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131614

Journal: Work, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 26-12, 2014