An Australia-based epidemiologist is raising the red flag about the health impacts of gas stoves.
What's happening?
Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Ewald joined a presentation from Healthy Futures, a climate- and health-focused network of health professionals, students and other supporters, to talk about the dangers of gas stoves. Ewald, a general practitioner and lecturer at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, emphasized the link between gas cooktops and respiratory illnesses.
"There's strong evidence from cohort studies that kids living in households where there is a gas stove, they're about 40% more likely to have asthma," he told the host.
Why is this interview important?
Ewald is one of a growing number of medical professionals who are calling out the health harms associated with gas stoves. For instance, a Denver pediatrician recently spoke out about gas stoves and indoor air pollution as part of a larger push away from fossil fuel sources, which she says are contributing significantly to childhood asthma. As Ewald mentioned, research supports a gas stove-asthma connection. For instance, one 2022 study found that around 13% of childhood asthma in the U.S. was attributable to cooking with gas indoors.
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Gas stove use also contributes to the warming of our planet, which brings with it other health concerns, including more frequent and severe natural disasters, food shortages, and increased risk of vector-borne disease in many areas.
What's being done about the dangers of gas stoves?
One way to improve indoor air quality is to forgo the use of a gas stove altogether. Induction stoves are a clean alternative that rely on electricity to directly heat cookware instead of burning gas or other solid fuels. Induction stoves are not only safer than gas, but they also cook faster and are more energy efficient, saving users money. Plus, some states offer up to $840 off the cost of a new induction range thanks to government incentives.
Still, a major kitchen renovation may be out of reach for some, particularly those who rent. That's where plug-in induction burners come in. These little devices work in exactly the same way as an induction range, but they start at around $50.
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