Gas cooking is associated with small reductions in lung function in children.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Pediatric Respiratory Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Previous studies suggested gas cooking impacts children's lung function, but findings were inconsistent.
• A prior study indicated a small reduction in lung function parameters for children exposed to gas stoves in Austria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the generalizability of gas cooking's impact on lung function in primary school children across diverse international settings.
• To quantify the association between gas cooking and lung function parameters in a large, multinational cohort.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of spirometry data (flow and volume) from approximately 24,000 children (aged 6-12) across nine countries.
• Utilized comparable questionnaires for exposure assessment and followed American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society spirometry protocols.
• Employed linear regressions, controlling for covariates, and meta-analytical tools to assess heterogeneity and overall effects.

Main Results:

• Gas cooking was associated with small average reductions in lung function parameters (-0.1-0.7%).
• Significant reductions were observed for forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1).
• Preliminary evidence suggested a potentially greater impact on children with allergies.

Conclusions:

• Under typical housing conditions, gas cooking is linked to minor decreases in lung function among children.
• The findings support a small but measurable negative association between gas cooking and pediatric lung function.
• Further research may be warranted to explore the specific impact on allergic populations.