THE sun was barely up, and neither was little Andy, who was seen nodding off to sleep as his mother pulled up alongside the school gate.

Still groggy, Andy was reluctant to leave the comfort of his car, but a few words from his mother, who had to open his door, achieved the effect no alarm clock could.

"Wake up, mommy has to rush for an important meeting," she said, as her seven-year-old son sluggishly got out. "Carry your own bag today. I'm in a hurry."

Andy was suddenly wide awake, and his muted protests concerning the heavy load were to no avail as his mother helped him put on his backpack before speeding off.

Muttering, Andy trudged away, slouching and struggling with his heavy backpack. Andy's morning may have been spoilt, but in truth, he was one of the lucky ones as most children carry their own bags on a daily basis.

The issue of heavy school bags is a perennial problem, and many parents are less than impressed. A number have expressed their discontent by writing to StarEducation, and those quizzed outside the school gates were equally vocal.

"There are too many periods in a day," said Leon Loke. "My daughter in Year Three carries more than 5kg everyday and she only weighs 19kg.

"This should not be the way, as carrying such a heavy load is bad for her health."

In support of Loke's outburst, experts and health boards say that a backpack should weigh between 10 and 15% of a child's body weight.

So, hypothetically, a child who weighs 40kg should carry between 4 and 6kg of books in his or her backpack.

However, such is not the case in Malaysia, and parents became even more concerned when Backpack Syndrome - complications like poor posture and muscle aches as the result of carrying heavy backpacks - was explained to them.

Some even used themselves - or their spouses - as living examples.

Pointing at her husband Syahril Abdul Jalil, Aniza Anis Sallihudin said that he did not have the right posture and slouched as the result of carrying too much weight in his younger years.

"I don't want my seven-year-old daughter Sofea to run the same risk," she said.

"She may not be required to stand 30-40 minutes on a bus, but I'd rather be on the safe side."