School Bag Weight as a Barrier to Active Transport to School among New Zealand Adolescents

School Bag Weight as a Barrier to Active Transport to School among New Zealand Adolescents

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Background: Excessive school bag weight is a barrier to active transport to school (ATS).This study examined parents’ and adolescents’ perceptions of school bag weights and actual school bag weights for adolescents in New Zealand.Methods: Parents (n = 331; 76.7% women) completed a survey.Adolescents (n = 682; age 15.

1 ± 1.4 years; 57.3% boys) completed a survey, underwent anthropometry, and had their school bags weighed.Results: Collections Overall, 68.3% of parents perceived that adolescents’ school bags were too heavy to carry to school.

This parental perception differed by adolescents’ mode of transport to school (active/motorized/combined: 35.1%/78.4%/68.8%, p < 0.001).

Adolescents perceived that their school bags were too heavy to carry to walk (57.8%) or cycle (65.8%) to school.Adolescent perceptions differed by mode of transport to school (for walking (active/motorized/combined): 30.9%/69.

2%/55.9% agree, p < 0.001; for cycling: 47.9%/72.8%/67.

7%; p < 0.001).Actual school bag weight was, on average, 5.6 ± 2.1 kg.

Relative school bag weight (% of body weight) was higher for boys and underweight adolescents compared to their counterparts.Neither absolute nor relative school bag weight differed by mode of transport to school.Conclusions: School bag weight was perceived a barrier to ATS and was a greater perceived barrier among MaxFlo VS / XL Parts users of motorized versus active transport.Perceptions of school bag weights should be considered in future ATS interventions.