August 2006

When returning to school, your child will face academic challenges, but you can help prevent them from facing health challenges as well. Before your kids hit the books this year, make sure their backpacks are safe and their lunches are healthy.

Backpack Safety

About 5,000 schoolchildren are taken to the emergency room each year due to overloaded backpacks. "When a backpack is heavy, the child hyperextends (arches) the back or leans the head and trunk forward to compensate for the weight of the bag. This stresses the muscles in the neck and back, increasing the risk of fatigue and injury,” says Shelley Goodgold, PhD, an associate professor of physical therapy at Simmons College.

Here’s how you and your child can help prevent injuries and strain:

• Use a hip strap for heavier weights.
• Use a backpack with wide, padded straps and a padded back.
• Use both of the backpack’s straps, firmly tightened, to hold the pack two inches above the waist. (Using only one strap over a shoulder puts excess strain on muscles.)
• Keep your child physically active to maintain strong back and abdominal muscles.
• Teach correct lifting techniques. Demonstrate how to bend with both knees when picking up a heavy object.
• Place the heaviest items closest to the back.
• Help your child pack the backpack neatly to prevent jostling and uneven weight distribution.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children carry no more than 10 to 20 percent of their own body weight and all backpacks should weigh less than 15 pounds.

Healthy Eating

While heavy backpacks may cause health problems, so can unhealthy choices at lunchtime. According to the website Kids Health, a typical school cafeteria lunch is too high in saturated fat and cholesterol and too low in fiber and nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. To increase the nutritional value of your child’s lunch, you may want to pack one yourself.

When making the lunch, don’t forget to include fruits and vegetables. And avoid those prepackaged “meals,” which are typically higher in fat, sugar and calories than meals you could prepare yourself. Be sure to include your child in the process, and listen to his or her input on the types of foods he or she prefers.

Following these suggestions could easily increase the nutritional value of your child's lunch:



For more information on backpack safety and healthy lunches, visit the KidsHealth website.