SAITAMA A record 50% of sixth graders in Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo have unaided visual acuity under 1.0 average vision, according to health statistics released by the prefectural government for the 2021 school year, suggesting that local children's eyesight is seriously deteriorating.
The Annual Report of School Health Statistics Research showed a downward trend in the ratio of children prone to obesity, which worsened in academic 2020 when schools closed temporarily due to the coronaviruses epidemic.
Saitama Prefecture's health and physical education division said that the decline in children's eyesight may be due to increased use of smartphones and other devices. The use of digital devices in classrooms is increasing, and schools have been asked to have their pupils take regular breaks to prevent eye strain.
By grade, 22.9% of the first graders had visual acuity below 1.0, which corresponds to 20-20 vision, followed by 34.9% of fourth and 49.4% of sixth graders. The highest percentage of elementary school students with less than average vision was at 34.4%, the second highest figure on record after the 2020 school year. The ratio of those with a visual acuity below 0.3 was 10.4% among elementary school children and 14.4% among junior high school students.
Meanwhile, the percentage of children prone to obesity with a body mass index of 20% or higher, calculated based on standard height-weight ratios and other factors, decreased among 70% of children aged 5 -- 17 from academic 2020. The highest percentages were found among girls aged 12 13.55% and boys aged 13 10.21% by age. The survey collects data from multiple schools and compiles the results of school health checks. It is usually conducted between April and June each year, but because the survey was conducted throughout the year in academic 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the education ministry says simple comparisons with previous surveys are difficult.