Household air pollution contributes to delayed brain development in children, study finds

Exposure to household air pollution from firewood and kerosene cooking can significantly impair children’s cognitive development, raising new concerns about the health and future productivity of millions of Nigerian children.

The findings were presented at the Household Air Pollution and Cognition (HAPCOG) stakeholders meeting, marking the final phase of nearly 20 years of research examining the health effects of traditional cooking fuels on women and children.

The stakeholders’ meeting, organised by the Centre for Population and Reproductive Health (CPRH) & Healthy Life for All Foundation in partnership with the University of Chicago, was attended by government agencies, policymakers, business leaders, researchers, community leaders, and others.

In his keynote address, Sola Olopade, a professor of medicine at the Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, stated that women who cooked with clean fuels such as ethanol, compared to those who used firewood and kerosene, had lower blood pressure without medication, experienced fewer miscarriages and stillbirths, and delivered larger, healthier babies.

According to him: “When we examined the placentas of women who cooked with kerosene and firewood and compared them to those of women who cooked with ethanol, we observed that the babies were developing in an environment with low oxygen levels. This observation was the impetus for HAPCOG.”

Prof Olopade said that although the study focused on indoor air pollution, outdoor pollution from generators, dust, and traffic compounds the problem, making the environment unclean and affecting everyone.

“If we can prevent exposure to air pollution, provide people with access to clean fuel, and improve our environment, we can halt the continued destruction of brain cells, inflammation, lung disease, and related health issues,” he added.

Dr Yetunde Adeniyi, a consultant psychiatrist, stated that findings from a follow-up study of children born between 2015 and 2026 showed that children whose mothers cooked with firewood or kerosene exhibited developmental delays compared to their peers whose mothers used ethanol.

According to her, the delay was measurable and consistent, confirming concerns that household air pollution affects not only physical health but also cognitive development.

“We also found that children born to families who cook with unclean fuel experience more developmental problems. Their IQs are lower compared to those of children born to families using clean fuel.

“It is something that can be changed. We can replace traditional cooking fuels used by women with clean alternatives, such as gas and ethanol. Cooking with clean fuel is better in the long run. When children begin to experience health problems or women develop respiratory issues, medical expenses arise, and the consequences can be fatal. That is why policymakers and everyone else should come together to promote the adoption of clean cooking fuels,” she said.

READ ALSO:  Air pollution awareness remains low among Nigerians despite increasing risk of heart disease —Experts

Representing Governor Seyi Makinde, Commissoner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi said that environmental sustainability remains a key pillar of the administration and announced plans to develop cross-ministerial policies aimed at gradually transitioning households from traditional cooking methods to safer alternatives, such as ethanol and LPG.

“The journey will be gradual, but with consistent awareness, community engagement, and sustainable solutions, we can protect our women, enhance our children’s development, and reduce the burden of diseases linked to household air pollution,” she added.

Also speaking, the Director of CPRH, UI, Professor Dosu Ojengbede, said in his welcome address at the event said that he considered the gathering a rare but vital interaction between researchers and the communities whose lives the research aims to improve.

“We want to break down the barrier between the university and the community. There should be no divide between science and the people it is meant to serve,” he added.

Professor Ojengbede stated that a key finding of the study is that air pollution resulting from cooking with unclean energy, such as firewood, affects women’s health, including that of babies still in the womb, and air pollution takes a toll on the intelligence and capabilities of children under 5 years old in families that rely on unclean cooking fuels.