Belgrade Health Institute Warns Parents About School Bag Weight

With the new school year on the horizon, the Belgrade Institute for Public Health has issued a critical warning to parents and educators concerning the significant impact of school bag weight on children's health and physical development. Dr. Marija Marković, a specialist in social medicine at the institute, emphasized that postural problems and deformities of the spine, feet, and chest are alarmingly common among school-aged children.

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It has been determined in systematic check-ups that practically every fifth child has a foot deformity, and every tenth child has a spinal deformity.

Systematic check-ups have revealed that roughly one in five children exhibit foot deformities, and one in ten suffer from spinal deformities. Dr. Marković pointed out that while school bags are not the sole cause, they are a direct contributor to poor posture, which can lead to a cascade of health problems later in life. The excessive load placed on young children's backs, especially when combined with insufficient physical activity, can result in muscle pain, neck stiffness, headaches, and long-term spinal issues.

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The school bag itself is one of the reasons for poor posture and the problems that arise.

Experts strongly advise that the optimal weight for a school bag should not exceed 10% of a child's body weight, with a maximum tolerance of 15%. Dr. Marković stressed that younger children, whose muscles are not yet fully developed, are particularly vulnerable to the strain of carrying overly heavy loads daily. The article also questions the suitability of wheeled backpacks, suggesting they may not be a universal solution and could even lead to asymmetrical posture or increased tripping hazards on uneven terrain.

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The optimal weight is 5 to 10 percent of the child's weight; 10 percent should be a measure, up to 15 percent can be tolerated, but anything over 15 percent is truly too much of a burden for delicate children's backs.

When selecting a traditional backpack, parents are advised to look for lightweight options with reinforced backs, wide shoulder straps, and waist belts to distribute weight effectively. The bag's dimensions are also important: its bottom edge should not extend below the waist, its top should not go above the shoulders, and its width should not exceed the child's own. Furthermore, organizing the bag with multiple compartments, placing heavier items closest to the back, and regularly decluttering unnecessary items are recommended practices. The institute also appeals to schools to consider providing lockers and to teachers to ensure children do not carry superfluous books or multiple textbook sections simultaneously.

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They can be useful if the terrain is flat and the school is nearby, but on uneven terrain, where curbs are often missing, they can lead to bending the body to one side and increasing the risk of stumbling and injuries.