Children with abnormal body weight dealing with the load of school backpack-is there a need to modify WHO recommendations? A cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the study was investigated how stabilographic parameters change under the influence of an external load, such as a school backpack, and whether there is a need to revise recommendations regarding the permissible school backpack load for children with abnormal body mass.

METHODS

Children in younger school grades was investigated (n, 235, age:  = 7.90 ± 0.74), divided into children with underweight (n = 49), with overweight (n = 48), and with obesity (n = 33), in comparison to the control group with normal body weight (n = 105). Posturographic measurements of body weight distribution and posturometric tests with eyes open and closed were performed in trials with school backpack and without.

RESULTS

The weight of school backpack for younger children ranges from 1.50 to 8.0 kg (3.74 ± 1.31). On average, this constitutes 13.66% of their body weight (SD, 5.85), but in 77 cases among all participants (32.77%), the children's school backpacks were overloaded by an average of 5.5% (SD, 4.66). Neither the weight of the school backpack nor its percentage relative to body weight were predictors of postural stability (-0.44 ≥ β ≥ 0.41 for  > 0.05). In tests involving a school backpack, children with obesity performed significantly worse compared to the control group, particularly in the parameters sway path length (SPL), width of the ellipse (WoE), and height of the ellipse (HoE), in both open- and closed-eye conditions. Additionally, SPL was longer in the open-eye test with a school backpack in the overweight group. Children with underweight had results comparable to children with normal body weight.

CONCLUSIONS

Recommendations regarding the weight of school backpacks relative to a child's body weight worsen stabilometric parameters in children with increased body weight (overweight and obesity), which affects their postural stability. It is advisable to consider different percentage load values or implement systemic solutions for children with overweight and obesity.