Kitchen Type Research Articles

Exposure assessment for respirable particulates associated with household fuel use in rural districts of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Indoor air pollution associated with combustion of solid fuels seems to be a major contributor to the national burden of disease in India, but relatively few quantitative exposure assessment studies are available. This study quantified the daily average concentrations of respirable particulates (50% cut-off at 4 microm) in 412 rural homes selected through stratified random sampling from three districts of Andhra Pradesh, India and recorded time activity data from 1400 individuals to reconstruct 24-h average exposures. The mean 24-h average concentrations ranged from 73 to 732 microg/m(3) in gas- versus solid fuel-using households, respectively. Concentrations were significantly correlated with fuel type, kitchen type, and fuel quantity. The mean 24-h average exposures ranged from 80 to 573 microg/m(3). Among solid fuel users, the mean 24-h average exposures were the highest for women cooks and were significantly different from men and children. Among women, exposures were the highest in the age group of 15-40 years (most likely to be involved in cooking or helping in cooking), while among men, exposures were highest in the age group of 65-80 years (most likely to be indoors). The data are being used to develop a model to predict quantitative categories of population exposure based on survey information on housing and fuel characteristics. This would facilitate the development of a regional exposure database and enable better estimation of health risks.

EXPOSURE TO HOUSEHOLD COOKING FUEL AND RISK OF CATARACT FORMATION AMONG WOMEN

Background The incidence of catracts is higher among women than men in developing countries. Risk factors for cataract include active cigarette smoking, exposure to intense sunlight, and severe diarrhea. Prior research suggests that exposure to smoke from household solid fuel may be a risk factor. Cooking and heating with solid fuels such as wood/wood-logs, dung-cake, coal and charcoal are predominant in developing countries where women are primary cooks. Methods An incidence-density casecontrol study was conducted to look at the relationship between exposure to smoke from household solid fuel and risk of cataracts among women visiting an eye hospital situated at the Nepal-India border. Cases (n = 206) were women patients, aged 35–65 years, who resided in neighboring districts in Nepal and India, and who visited the hospital for the first time with cataracts in one or both eyes. Controls (n = 203) were selected from among patients visiting the same hospital from same districts who had diagnoses of refractive error or astigmatism. Patients with a history of diabetes mellitus were excluded from both case and control groups. An interviewer-administered questionnaire included questions on education level, area of residence (urban v rural), cooking fuel, stove type, kitchen type and location, use of mosquito coil and incense, history of severe diarrhea, present food habits, smoking status, alcohol consumption, history of vitamin use, household crowding, time spent working outside in the sunlight, vaccination during childhood, house type, socio-economic status. Results Age was not a significant confounder because adjustment for age did not affect other relative risks in multivariate logistic models. In univariate analyses, the following variables were statistically significant as a risk factors for cataract: stove type (un-improved vs. improved: OR = 2.99, 95% CI: 1.93–4.63), fuel (solid vs. liquid: OR = 3.19, 95% CI: 1.99–5.1), education (illiterate vs. literate: OR =: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.44–4.00), area of residence (rural vs. urban: OR = 3.34, 95% CI: 1.76–6.25), kitchen location and ventilation (partially vs. fully: OR = 2.39 CI: 1.51–3.79), working in the sun (yes vs. no: OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.00–2.26). Variables such as smoking (ever vs. never: OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.73–1.85), history of severe diarrhea in the last five years (yes/sometime vs. no: OR = 1.22 CI: 0.81–1.82) were non-significant in the univariate analysis. In Multivariate logistic regression modeling, poor ventilation (OR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.16–3.07), rural residency (OR: 2.15, 95% CI: 1.07–4.35), and solid fuel use with an unimproved stove (OR: 2.21, 95% CI: 1.29–3.82) were risk factors for cataracts. In our study 76% of cases and 79% of controls reportd that they did not smoke (p-value: 0.528) and only 3% of cases and controls reported that they were ex-smoker. Conclusions These preliminary analyses support the hypothesis that smokes from household solid fuel (wood, cow dung cake, crop residues, coal, coke, lignite), along with lack of ventilation in the kithcen, increases the risk of cataracts among women. In addition, rural residence seems to be a risk factor for cataracts.

Exposure to cooking fumes in restaurant kitchens in norway.

The purpose of this study was to assess exposure to fat aerosols and aldehydes in kitchens and to study the variations in exposure between different types of kitchen. Measurements were made in four hotel kitchens, two hamburger chain restaurants, 10 à la carte restaurants and three small local restaurants serving mostly fried food. The measurements were performed as personal measurements and each person carried two sampling devices connected to pumps. One pump was connected to a filter cassette with a 37 mm glassfibre filter and the other to a sampling device for aldehydes. The measurements were repeated on 3 days in each kitchen. Variables which could influence the level of exposure were recorded by the occupational hygienist. The level of fat aerosols varied between the different types of kitchen. The highest measured level of fat aerosol was 6.6 mg/m(3), in a small local restaurant. The arithmetic mean for all the kitchens was 0.62 mg/m(3). The highest level of the sum of the aldehydes was 186 micro g/m(3) (0.186 mg/m(3)), while the arithmetic mean was 69 micro g/m(3). The exposure to fat aerosols was modest, but could be up to 50% of the Norwegian threshold limit value (TLV) for nuisance dust (10 mg/m(3)). Fat aerosols from frying will, however, contain a mixture of heat- and water-treated fat from the meat which is being fried, hydrolysed vegetable fat and other degradation products, such as fatty acids, other organic acids and aldehydes. As a consequence of this, cooking fumes should be regarded as harmful to the lungs. The levels of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acrolein were well below the TLVs.

Proximate Contents, Losses and Gains of Fat, Protein and Water Comparing Raw, Hospital- and Household-Cooked Pork Cuts

The contents of fat, protein and water were determined in raw and corresponding cooked pork cuts: three joints with rind (thin belly, neck boneless, loin boneless), two joints without rind (neck boneless, loin boneless) and three sliced joints (thick belly, neck, pork chops with and without bread). The meat was cooked in a household and a hospital kitchen. Cuts were cooked in oven without added fat and in pan with fat. For oven-cooked cuts no differences in fat losses between kitchen types were found (household kitchen: −4.5±2.9%; hospital kitchen: −4.9±3.4%;P=0.7), while fat losses for pan-cooked cuts differed slightly (household kitchen: +1.9±2.4%; hospital kitchen: +0.5±2.1%;P=0.02). Breaded pork chops gained more fat during cooking than non-breaded pork chops (+3.5±2.0 and +0.3±0.7%, respectively;P=0.02). Fat loss from neck and loin (whole joints) cooked without fat was somewhat higher than fat loss from the corresponding sliced joints cooked with fat (non-breaded) (−1.6±0.9 and +0.1±1.2%, respectively;P=0.001). Cooking causes small, if any, losses of meat protein. Water losses showed wide variations (range: −13.4±2.9 to −39.9±3.6%) and accounted for a major part of total weight loss. Positive correlations between water loss (r=0.40;P=0.01) and weight loss (r=0.47;P=0.01), and internal temperature could be demonstrated. An increase in the fat content calculated per 100 g of cooked meat was seen for all the cuts, indicating that losses of mainly water were relatively larger than fat losses. Fat (wt%) in raw and cooked meat for seven of nine cuts correlated significantly. Their pooled linear regression equation was as follows: fat in cooked meat (wt%)=1.02×fat in raw meat (wt%)+2.97; thus, fat content of cooked pork meat can be estimated irrespective of cooking methods.

Exposure from cooking with biofuels: pollution monitoring and analysis for rural Tamil Nadu, India

In this paper, statistical analysis to examine the links between pollution and the types of kitchen and fuels is carried out for rural houses by first monitoring the indoor air quality (IAQ) followed by regression analysis of 418 households in Tamil Nadu, India. Exposures to the chief cook (females, who are mainly involved in the cooking during monitoring) are measured with personal monitors. The result shows that the values of respirable particles (PM10) ranged from 500–2000 μg/m 3 during a two-hour cooking period from burning biofuels. The range depends on the type of kitchen and fuel use. Stationary monitors, placed two metres away from the stove, also recorded similar concentrations. Thus, the individuals who stay inside the houses using biofuels also face high concentrations even if they are not cooking. They could be senior citizens, children or adult males. Thus, there are two major findings from this analysis. Improved house designs that pay attention to kitchen location and put up partitions should also be considered in the intervention portfolio. Secondly, the exposure is not limited to the cooks alone. The rest of the family in the vicinity is also exposed through a “passive cooking effect”.

Risk factors for development of bronchial asthma in children in Delhi.

Information on the magnitude of the problem of childhood asthma in India and the factors influencing its occurrence is inadequate. To measure the prevalence of asthma in schoolchildren in Delhi and study the factors determining its occurrence. A questionnaire-based study carried out in nine randomly selected schools in Delhi. The age range was 5 to 17 years. The questionnaires were distributed to all the children (n = 21,367) for answering by either parent. The key questions relate to complaints of recurrent wheezing in the past, during the immediate last 1-year, and also wheezing exclusively induced by exercise or colds. In all, 19,456 questionnaires were received back (response rate 91%). Out of these, 18,955 were complete and analyzed. The prevalence of current asthma was 11.9% while past asthma was reported by 3.4% of children. Exclusive exercise-induced asthma was reported by 2.1% while that associated with colds by 2.4% of children. Boys had a significantly higher prevalence of current asthma as compared with girls (12.8% and 10.7%, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that male sex, a positive family history of atopic disorders, and the presence of smokers in the family were significant factors influencing the development of asthma while economic class, air pollution (total suspended particulates), and type of domestic kitchen fuel were not. The prevalence of current asthma in children in Delhi is 11.9%. Significant risk factors for its development are male sex, a positive family history of atopic disorders, and the presence of smokers in the family.

ESTIMATED PROPORTION AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN UNDER FIVE IN ISLAMABAD PAKISTAN

Background: Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in children, especially in under-fives, it is necessary to explore its risk factors for better health of children. Methods: This study was a cross sectional study, conducted in the Federal Government Polyclinic Dispensary of G- 7/3-4, Islamabad on 104 under five children, from April 2016 to June 2016. All the children from 0-59 years of age, irrespective of sex visiting dispensary were included in the study. Structured questionnaire used to collect the data. Frequencies and proportions were calculated as descriptive part of the analysis while Qui/Fisher Exact test was done as inferential analysis by using SPSS. Results: Out of 104 under five children ARI was found in 34 (32.7%). It was more in male children 23 (37.1) compared to female 11 (26.2%). A significant association was found between ARI and child's birthplace, their history of low birth weight, breast-feeding history, vaccination status, mothers education, mother's occupation, number of family members, smoking in fathers, ventilation condition of home, kitchen type, and knowledge of mothers regarding ARI signs and symptoms. Conclusion: The present study found that ARI is prevalent in under five children of the studied area. Results suggested that there is need to enhance the knowledge of mothers regarding ARI risk factors, its signs and symptoms, prevention and treatment.