Comfort assessment of school desks and chairs ergonomics among students with different body types

ZHENG Keyang; LUO Chunyan; QU Shuangxiao; LIU Zhonghui; WANG Yan; QI Wenjuan; HUANG Shenglei; YANG Dongling; ZHANG Fengyun

doi:10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025077

Volume 46 Issue 3

Mar. 2025

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ZHENG Keyang, LUO Chunyan, QU Shuangxiao, LIU Zhonghui, WANG Yan, QI Wenjuan, HUANG Shenglei, YANG Dongling, ZHANG Fengyun. Comfort assessment of school desks and chairs ergonomics among students with different body types[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, 2025, 46(3): 325-329. doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025077

Citation:

ZHENG Keyang, LUO Chunyan, QU Shuangxiao, LIU Zhonghui, WANG Yan, QI Wenjuan, HUANG Shenglei, YANG Dongling, ZHANG Fengyun. Comfort assessment of school desks and chairs ergonomics among students with different body types[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, 2025, 46(3): 325-329. doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025077

Citation:

ZHENG Keyang, LUO Chunyan, QU Shuangxiao, LIU Zhonghui, WANG Yan, QI Wenjuan, HUANG Shenglei, YANG Dongling, ZHANG Fengyun. Comfort assessment of school desks and chairs ergonomics among students with different body types[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, 2025, 46(3): 325-329. doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025077

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Comfort assessment of school desks and chairs ergonomics among students with different body types

doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025077

1.
Division of Child and Adolescent Health, Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai (200336), China

Received Date: 2025-01-10
Rev Recd Date: 2025-02-12

Available Online: 2025-04-03

Publish Date: 2025-03-25

Abstract

Abstract

Objective To investigate the differences in the comfort of desks and chairs furniture among students with different body types according to the standard, so as to provide a reference for guiding students with overweight and obesity to choose the correct study furniture and revising the standards. Methods From January to April 2024, 2 443 students from 26 schools in 13 districts (counties/cities) in Shanghai, Tianjin, and Jiangsu Province were selected by the cluster random sampling method to conduct physical examination. The subjective and objective evaluations of the comfort of height-matched desks and chairs were investigated. The students were divided into non-overweight, overweight, and obesity groups according to relevant criteria, and stratified analysis was performed. The χ2 test was used to analyze differences in the comfort evaluations of desks and chairs among students with different body types. Results Among the 2 443 students surveyed, 16.7% and 12.6% were respectively classified as overweight and obese. All students assigned the highest comfort ratings to large desks and small chairs (84.1%), and consistency was observed between students' subjective and objective evaluations. The reporting rate of samll desks and chairs of obesity students' subjective evaluation was lower (36.8%) than that of overweight and non-overweight/obesity students (52.1%, 48.0%) (χ²=14.63, P < 0.01). The overweight and obese group of primary school students had a worse evaluation of the comfort of large desks and chairs and small desks and chairs than those of the non-overweight and obese groups(χ²=15.78, 7.63, P < 0.05). Among high school students, the overweight and obese group had worse evaluation of the comfort of large desks and chairs, as well as large desks and small chairs, than those of the non-overweight and obese groups(χ²=9.62, 11.77, P < 0.05). The objective evaluations revealed low compliance ratings on the posture of the thighs and calves for naturally forming an angle greater than 90° (55.6%), and headroom height under the table (50.3%) with small desks and chairs (χ²=94.05, 166.47, P < 0.05). Conclusions Compared with non-overweight/obese students, students with overweight and obese students report poor comfort evaluations of height-matched desks and chairs. Revision of the standard should consider the body types of students, and evaluations of the comfort of desks and chairs furniture by students with overweight and obesity should be improved.
- Overweight,
- Obesity,
- Desk and chair,
- Comfortable,
- Students

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References(21)

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