Electric stoves could help people with asthma breathe easier.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University report that people with poorly controlled asthma described large symptom improvements after electric stoves replaced their gas stoves in a small Cleveland project.
A project led by Ashwini Sehgal, a clinician who studies community health at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, found that people with asthma reported marked relief after switching from gas to electric stoves. Gas flames release pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which can trigger asthma symptoms.
The team received funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during the Biden administration and installed electric stoves in Cleveland households with at least one person with asthma. Eighty-five participants with poorly controlled asthma completed a questionnaire a few months after the switch. They reported symptom improvement roughly two to three times as large as what is typical with asthma medication, and those with the worst symptoms improved the most. Participants also reported fewer emergency room or hospital visits and fewer missed days of work or school. "We were really surprised at how large the benefit was," Sehgal said.
Gas stovetops can push nearby NO2 levels to hundreds of parts per billion while heating, steaming or frying, according to the article. The EPA's one-hour outdoor air quality standard is 100 parts per billion. Research in children has linked NO2 exposure to more wheezing, coughing and asthma attacks.
The results come with limits. The project was originally funded to follow 1,200 households for 12 months, but the EPA's Community Change Grants were terminated early, which sharply reduced the number of participants. The findings rely on questionnaires. Carrie Breton of WashU Bursky School of Public Health said a next step would be measuring lung function before and after a switch, and pulmonologist Laura Paulin noted that many things can trigger asthma. Sehgal suggested a randomized trial in which some people receive a stove right away and others wait six months.
For people who cannot replace a stove, Sehgal suggested trying an electric hot plate and toaster oven to see whether symptoms ease. Paulin of Dartmouth Health recommended an exhaust hood that vents outdoors or an open window, a HEPA filter with a carbon insert, and keeping children with asthma out of the kitchen during cooking. "It is a daunting task to replace a stove, but it doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing thing," she said. Sehgal added that insurers should consider paying for or subsidizing swaps if the benefits hold up.
At a Glance
- Eighty-five Cleveland participants with poorly controlled asthma completed a questionnaire a few months after switching to electric stoves.
- Reported symptom improvement was roughly two to three times as large as what is typical with asthma medication.
- The study was planned to follow 1,200 households for 12 months before the EPA grants ended early.
- Gas stove cooking can raise nearby NO2 to hundreds of parts per billion, versus the EPA's 100 parts per billion one-hour standard.
Sources
This brief was written by Brightside Report from the reporting linked above. Spot an error? Request a correction.