A loaded backpack shouldn't exceed 10% of a child's body weight, according to recommendations from the American Occupational Therapy Association Inc., a professional group that sponsors a National School Backpack Awareness Day each fall. That means, for instance, a 100-pound teen should only be hauling 10 pounds. In reality, the average child carries about 22% of his or her body weight, according to the American Chiropractic Association. That's more than twice the recommended amount. As a retired high school teacher, I can attest to the fact that most students carry way more than 22% of their body weight. I can only imagine the back problems this generation will have as they mature into adulthood.
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