Effects of Firewood, Kerosene and Gas Use on Some Cardiopulmonary and Anthropometric Parameters among Females in Samaru, Sabon Gari, Zaria

This study evaluated the effects of exposure to constituents of firewood, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas on cardiopulmonary and some anthropometry parameters among women in Samaru area of Sabon Gari Local Government, Kaduna state. 300 female subjects of the age between 18-50 years participated in the research: 100 of which use firewood (group 1); 100 use kerosene stove (group 2); and 100 use liquefied gas stove (group 3/control). Simple random sampling technique was used to select the subjects. Auscultatory method was used for blood pressure measurement, peak flow meter was used for measurement of forced expiratory flow rate, while full body sensor machine was used to record body mass index, resting metabolism, visceral fat, body fat percentage and skeletal muscle percentage of the subjects. The result of this study showed the firewood users had significantly higher blood pressure than the rest of the groups, based on ANOVA. The peak expiratory flow rate of the groups that use firewood and kerosene were significantly lower (p < 0.05) compared to the group that use gas. The result of visceral fat was also significantly higher in the firewood group users, compared to kerosene and gas users. However, there was no significant difference (p < 0.05) in body mass index, resting metabolism, body fat percentage and skeletal muscle percentage between the three groups. In conclusion, the present study indicated that the use of firewood and kerosene for cooking purposes significantly affected cardiopulmonary parameters, which emphasizes the need for alternative, cleaner sources of energy in households that currently rely on firewood and kerosene.

Key Words: Kerosene stove, firewood, liquefied petroleum gas, cardiopulmonary, anthropometry.