Correlation between relative schoolbag weight and gender and age differences of the schoolchildren in the primary school

KASOVIĆ, Mario, Larisa GOMAZ and Martin ZVONAŘ. Correlation between relative schoolbag weight and gender and age differences of the schoolchildren in the primary school. Hrvatski športskomedicinski vjesnik. Zagreb, 2019, vol. 34, No 1, p. 31-36. ISSN 0354-0766.

Basic information

• Original name: Correlation between relative schoolbag weight and gender and age differences of the schoolchildren in the primary school
• Authors: KASOVIĆ, Mario (191 Croatia, belonging to the institution), Larisa GOMAZ and Martin ZVONAŘ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Hrvatski športskomedicinski vjesnik, Zagreb, 2019, 0354-0766.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 30306 Sport and fitness sciences
• Country of publisher: Croatia
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14510/19:00116557
• Organization unit: Faculty of Sports Studies
• Keywords in English: schoolchildren; relative schoolbag weight; schoolbag load; child´s health
• Tags: rivok

Abstract

This study investigated relative schoolbag weight and the correlation between relative schoolbag weight and gender and age differences of the schoolchildren in nine grades of primary schools in Brno, Czech Republic. Measurements of children’s anthropometry and schoolbag weight were taken in five different schools. In total 584 school children, 44,35 % girls (N = 259) and 55,65 % boys (N = 325), mean age 9,67 (± 2,4) years and body weight 37,5 kg (± 13,4) took part in this study. Mean schoolbag weight was 4,93 kg (± 1,32) and it represented 14,0 % (± 0,5) of children’s body weight. By using a factorial ANOVA in statistical analysis and by setting the statistical significance at p >= 0,05, the statistically significant difference between the relative schoolbag weight by ages of participants was noticed (p = 0,000). Schoolchildren in first four grades have statistically significant higher relative schoolbag weight than their older colleagues. On the other hand, there’s no statistically significant difference between the relative schoolbag weight and the gender (p = 0,240), but there is a statistically significant difference between the relative schoolbag weight and the interaction between gender and age (p = 0,006). This study showed that for schoolchildren in their early stage of growth, schoolbag load is bigger, and it represents a big risk factor during the very sensitive stage of their growth and development.