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Background: The issue of excessively heavy schoolbags remains a public health concern in Africa. This study aimed to determine the weight of schoolbags among students in the public and private sectors of Yaoundé city, Cameroon and identify factors associated with low back pain.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the first term of the 2020/2021 academic year in French-speaking private and public primary schools in Yaoundé city, Cameroon. The study involved 2000 pupils (8.41±2.11 years), with 1000 from the public sector and 1000 from the private sector. The variables analyzed included weight, height, and schoolbag weight. A questionnaire, developed specifically for this study and based on the Standardized Nordic Body Map Questionnaire, was used to collect socio-demographic information and assess potential musculoskeletal low back pain. A diagram was included to indicate the lower back area for reporting pain. The questionnaire was administered, and each student answered it, with assistance from the investigator if needed. Descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as multiple logistic regressions, were employed for data analysis.Results: The average weight of the children and their schoolbags was 28.51±8.04 kg and 4.04±1.72 kg, respectively. Nearly 45% of the pupils were carrying a schoolbag weighing more than 15% of their body weight, and 23% reported experiencing low back pain. Schoolbag weights ranging from 10-15% of body weight were associated with a threefold higher risk (OR=2.66; 95% CI=1.65 – 4.31; P

Background: Heavy schoolbag is known to cause health problems for school children. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of carrying heavy schoolbags on the musculoskeletal pain among primary school children of the two subsystems in Yaounde, Cameroon. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in primary schools in Yaounde. A total of 457 school-children (8.2 ± 2.2 years) were included, 202 from the French-speaking subsystem, and 255 from the English-speaking subsystem. Parameters studied included weight, height, and schoolbag weight. A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic information and potential musculoskeletal pain in three regions: back, shoulders, and neck. Results: The mean weight of children and their bags was 28.4 ± 8.2 kg and 5.2 ± 2.3 kg respectively. More than 50% of schoolchildren in the two subsystems carried a schoolbag weighing more than 15% of body weight. The back (38%) was the least affected area in comparison to the shoulders (58.6%) and neck (42.4%) (p < 0.001). Carrying heavy bags and walking to school was associated with pain in the back, shoulders, and neck. School-children in the French-speaking subsystem had lower risk (adjusted Odds Ratio 0.438, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 0.295-0.651; p < 0.001) to develop a sore neck compared to peers from the English-speaking subsystem. Conclusion: Carrying heavy schoolbags is associated to musculoskeletal pain in schoolchildren. The means moving to and from school is a main risk factor of developing musculoskeletal pain. French-speaking schoolchildren develop less neck pain than English-speaking schoolchildren.

Background: Academic success in Cameroon is more focused on the pedagogical aspects of classical subjects such as mathematics and English. Physical and sports education is only a recreational activity in the Cameroonian school context. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness and motor skills) and academicperformance.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 643 pupils with a mean age of 12.4±1.3 years were included. The cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2pic) was measured using the 20 m shuttle run test. Motor skills (e.g. speed and agility) were assessed with 4x10 m shuttle test. The students ‘academic performance in trimestral average, science and literacy was evaluated based on school records.Results: Boys had significantly higher anthropometrics (height and weight) and performance parameters (VO2pic and duration). As far as teaching disciplines are concerned, significant differences also existed between the genders. There was no significant association in terms of VO2pic and literacy (r=0.017; P=0.6625), english (r=0.052; P=0.1879), and mathematics (r=0.070; P=0.0767) subjects. However, in science (r=0.080; P=0.0418) and trimestral average (r=0.087; P=0.0273) subjects, a significant association with VO2pic was found. Besides, significant relationships were observed between the duration of the physical and sport education activity and the academic performance. Higher VO2pic values were found in younger students (r=0.252;P=0.0001). For all grades, VO2pic decreased with age.Conclusion: The minor effects of physical fitness on academic performance among young Cameroonian pupils were linked to specific socio-cultural and socio-economic contexts. This study showed the beneficial effects of extra-curricular activities on academic performance.