Ahead of the new school year, the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan gave parents important advice on choosing a school backpack. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
Specialists of the ministry recommend checking how heavy the backpack becomes after placing textbooks, notebooks, and other school supplies inside. The main guideline is that the weight of a fully packed backpack should not exceed 10% of the child's body weight.
Recommended weight by age
The recommended weight of school supplies depends on the student's age:
- 01for students in grades 1–3 – up to 2 kilograms;
- 02for students in grades 4–5 – up to 2.5 kilograms;
- 03for students in grades 6–7 – up to 3.5 kilograms;
- 04for students in grades 8–11 – up to 4.5 kilograms.
Specialists' recommendations
Specialists recommend that the total weight of the backpack, including textbooks and school supplies, should not exceed 10% of the child's body weight. For example, if a student weighs 30 kilograms, the weight of a fully packed backpack should not exceed 3 kilograms, the statement says.
Specialists also recommend that the weight of an empty backpack should not exceed 1 kilogram. It is important that the school bag is light, matches the child's height, fits comfortably on the back, and does not put excessive strain on the shoulders, the ministry said.
According to them, the backpack should not be too large for the child and should not hang significantly below the waist.