Survey: children carrying overweight schoolbags are likely to have bent backs
Posted on: 06/Sep/2016 6:35:38 PM
A recent research established that school children in the age group 7-13 are likely to suffer from severe backaches and bent backs if they carry overweight bags for their schools.
ASSOCHAM (The Associated Chambers of the Commerce of India) conducted this survey with its health department. The survey established that the children in the age group 7-13 carried school-bags which weighed 45 percent of their individual weight. Some of the items carried include writing implements, skating equipment, Taekwondo kit, swimming bag, and cricket kit.
About 88 percent of the school children carry this much weight on alternate days. This can seriously addict their spinal cords leading to permanent back problems.The head of the Health department of ASSOCHAM, P. K. Rao, explained that these children carrying overweight school bags are likely to be affected by the slipped disc, spondylitis, Spondylolisthesis, permanent backaches, stunted growth of the back at this young age, posteurusskoliosis, etc.
As per the Act 2006, the weight of the school bag carried by children should not be higher than 10 percent of their weight.
The Act clearly explains that the children should not be allowed to carry these bags. The school administration should give the guidelines for carrying them safely. The Act has recommended the right type of lockers for the school children.
Bigger and irregular-shaped school bags may aggravate the back-related problems. It can even stunt the growth of the spinal cord. The habit of carrying overweight school bags would affect the proper structural growth of the body. Especially when the children carry the school bags to one side of their shoulders would be affected by the above disorders.
The survey explains that the onset of the back pain by carrying overweight school bags can become permanent throughout the life.
