scholarly journals An overview of the Effect of Biomass in-door-air Pollution on Household Members

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 66-69
Author(s):  
C Ogbonna
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Biomass Fuel ◽  
World Health ◽  
Biomass Combustion ◽  
Biomass Fuels ◽  
Household Members ◽  
Cook Stoves

Worldwide statistics show that 2.4 billion people depend on biomass fuel for cooking and heating. Biomass are plant materials and animal waste used especially as source of fuel. Typically, burned in open fire or inefficient stoves without appropriate ventilation, biomass fuels emit substantial amounts of health damaging pollutants leading to high level of exposure. In developing countries the level is at least 10-20 times higher than World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. Women and young children who spend many hours daily near the fire are the most exposed. A growing body of literature implicates in-door air pollution from biomass fuel as a risk factor for the development of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Lung cancer in women and Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) in young children.4-8 About two billion people have no access to modern energy and a billion have it only sporadically. Household members especially women and children in rural settlements collect all kinds of materials that are hazardous for their source of household energy. This is peculiar to the rural populations and more so the poor communities. Biomass fuels are at the low end of the energy ladder in terms of combustion efficiency and cleanliness. Smoke from biomass combustion produces a large number of health damaging air pollutants including inhalable particulate matter, Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen oxides, Formaldehyde, Benzene, 1,3 Butadiene, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and many other toxic organic compounds. In developing countries, where large proportions of households rely on biomass fuels for cooking and space heating, concentrations of these air pollutants tend to be highest indoors. The fuels are typically burned in simple, inefficient, and mostly unvented household cook stoves, which, combined with poor ventilation, generate large volumes of smoke indoors. Moreover, cook stoves are typically used for several hours each day at times when people are present indoors, resulting in much higher exposure to air pollutants than from out-door sources. More than three billion people or half the world's populations, cook in their homes using traditional fire and stoves, burning biomass fuels such as woods and crop waste materials. Household members breathe in the toxic fumes from these cooking fires daily.

Abstract 17973: Biomass Fuel Use is Associated With Elevated Blood Pressure and Hypertension Status in Puno, Peru

Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa S Burroughs Pena ◽  
Karina Romero ◽  
Antonio Bernabe Ortiz ◽  
Eric J Velazquez ◽  
J. Jaime Miranda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Systolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Biomass Fuel ◽  
Household Air Pollution ◽  
Biomass Fuels ◽  
Fuel Use ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Household air pollution from biomass fuel use affects 3 billion people worldwide. There are few studies that examine the relationship between biomass fuel use and blood pressure. We sought to determine if daily biomass fuel use was associated with higher blood pressure and increased hypertension in Peru. Methods: We analyzed baseline information from an age- and sex-matched, population-based study in Puno, Peru. Daily biomass fuel use was self-reported. Hypertension was defined as a systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥140 mmHg; diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥90 mmHg; or self-report of diagnosis and anti-hypertensive medications. We used linear and logistic multivariable regressions, adjusting for age, sex, daily cigarette use and body mass index, to examine the relationship between daily biomass fuel use with blood pressure and hypertension, respectively. Results: Data from 1004 individuals (mean age 55.3 years, 51.7% female) were included. There was evidence of an association between daily biomass fuel use and hypertension (adjusted OR = 2.1, 95%CI 1.2 to 3.5). Subjects who reported daily use of biomass fuels had 6.0 mmHg (95% CI 4.1 to 8.0) higher SBP and 4.8 mmHg (95%CI 3.5 to 6.0) higher DBP compared to those who did not use biomass fuels daily. In a secondary analysis, we used rural residence (vs. urban) as a proxy of biomass daily use and the relationship with hypertension and systolic blood pressure was similar: a higher odds of hypertension (adjusted OR = 2.1, 95%CI 1.3 to 3.6), and higher SBP (6.7mmHg, 95% CI 4.8 to 8.6) and DBP (5.5 mmHg, 95% CI 4.3 to 6.8) in rural vs. urban participants. Conclusion: Biomass fuel use is associated with increased odds of hypertension and higher blood pressure in Puno, Peru. Reducing exposure to air pollution from biomass fuel use represents a potential opportunity for cardiovascular prevention in rural communities worldwide. Longitudinal studies to evaluate the impact of reducing household air pollution are needed.

scholarly journals Poor Air Quality and Its Association with Mortality in Ho Chi Minh City: Case Study

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 750
Author(s):  
Hoang Ngoc Khue Vu ◽  
Quang Phuc Ha ◽  
Duc Hiep Nguyen ◽  
Thi Thu Thuy Nguyen ◽  
Thoai Tam Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Air Quality Modeling ◽  
World Health ◽  
Ho Chi Minh City ◽  
Annual Average ◽  
Quality Modeling ◽  
Concentration Of Air Pollutants

Along with its rapid urban development, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in recent years has suffered a high concentration of air pollutants, especially fine particulate matters or PM2.5. A comprehensive study is required to evaluate the air quality conditions and their health impact in this city. Given the lack of adequate air quality monitoring data over a large area of the size of HCMC, an air quality modeling methodology is adopted to address the requirement. Here, by utilizing a corresponding emission inventory in combination with The Air Pollution Model-Chemical Transport Model (TAPM-CTM), the predicted concentration of air pollutants is first obtained for PM2.5, NOx, and SO2. Then by associating the pollutants exposed with the mortality rate from three causes, namely Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), cardiopulmonary, and lung cancer, the impact of air pollution on human health is obtained for this purpose. Spatial distribution has shown a high amount of pollutants concentrated in the central city with a high density of combustion vehicles (motorcycles and automobiles). In addition, a significant amount of emissions can be observed from stevedoring and harbor activities, including ferries and cargo handling equipment located along the river. Other sources such as household activities also contribute to an even distribution of emission across the city. The results of air quality modeling showed that the annual average concentrations of NO2 were higher than the standard of Vietnam National Technical Regulation on Ambient Air Quality (QCVN 05: 2013 40 µg/m3) and World Health Organization (WHO) (40 µg/m3). The annual average concentrations of PM2.5 were 23 µg/m3 and were also much higher than the WHO (10 µg/m3) standard by about 2.3 times. In terms of public health impacts, PM2.5 was found to be responsible for about 1136 deaths, while the number of mortalities from exposure to NO2 and SO2 was 172 and 89 deaths, respectively. These figures demand some stringent measures from the authorities to potentially remedy the alarming situation of air pollution in HCM City.

Ambient air pollution exposure and lung function assessment of filling station attendants in Ibadan, Nigeria

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-218
Author(s):  
Toluwanimi Mobolade Oni ◽  
Godson R.E.E. Ana
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Lung Function ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Forced Expiratory Volume ◽  
Ambient Air Pollution ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Filling Station

Abstract Background There is an increasing range of adverse health effects associated with air pollution at very low concentrations. Few studies have assessed respiratory parameters among filling station attendants. Objectives This study assessed air pollutants; particulate matter (PM10) and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) concentrations at filling stations as well as determined forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) levels among filling station attendants. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess PM10 and TVOC concentrations at 20 systematically selected filling stations in Ibadan North Local Government Area, Ibadan for 2 months using a Thermo Scientific pDR 1500 PM10 monitor and SF2000-TVOC meter. FEV1 and PEFR levels were measured in order to assess the effect of exposure to PM10 and TVOC on lung function of 100 filling station attendants using a PIKO-1 Electronic peakflow/FEV1 meter. Results Total mean PM10 concentrations (μg/m3) in the morning (43.7±16.5) and afternoon (27.8±7.9) were significantly lower (p<0.01) than the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline limit (50 μg/m3). Total mean TVOC concentrations (ppm) in the morning (12.0±3.4) and afternoon (5.6±2.4) were however significantly higher (p<0.01) than the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guideline limit (3 ppm). Mean FEV1 for filling station attendants was 1.63±0.39 and PEFR was 171.7±45.9. Conclusion Filling stations are hotspots for the emission of VOCs and PM10. However, filling station attendants in this study are at risk of exposure to high concentrations of VOCs but not PM10. FEV1 and PEFR values among filling station attendants were very low which could possibly be attributed to extended exposure to air pollutants. Regular medical examinations should also be conducted on filling station attendants in order to aid early detection of deviations in their health status.

scholarly journals Long-term exposure to road traffic noise and stroke incidence: a Danish Nurse Cohort study

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Cole-Hunter ◽  
Christian Dehlendorff ◽  
Heresh Amini ◽  
Amar Mehta ◽  
Youn-Hee Lim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Traffic Noise ◽  
World Health ◽  
Road Traffic Noise ◽  
Stroke Incidence ◽  
Increased Risk

Abstract Background Road traffic noise has been linked to increased risk of ischemic heart disease, yet evidence on stroke shows mixed results. We examine the association between long-term exposure to road traffic noise and incidence of stroke, overall and by subtype (ischemic or hemorrhagic), after adjustment for air pollution. Methods Twenty-five thousand six hundred and sixty female nurses from the Danish Nurse Cohort recruited in 1993 or 1999 were followed for stroke-related first-ever hospital contact until December 31st, 2014. Full residential address histories since 1970 were obtained and annual means of road traffic noise (Lden [dB]) and air pollutants (particulate matter with diameter < 2.5 μm and < 10 μm [PM2.5 and PM10], nitrogen dioxide [NO2], nitrogen oxides [NOx]) were determined using validated models. Time-varying Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) (95% confidence intervals [CI]) for the associations of one-, three-, and 23-year running means of Lden preceding stroke (all, ischemic or hemorrhagic), adjusting for stroke risk factors and air pollutants. The World Health Organization and the Danish government’s maximum exposure recommendations of 53 and 58 dB, respectively, were explored as potential Lden thresholds. Results Of 25,660 nurses, 1237 developed their first stroke (1089 ischemic, 148 hemorrhagic) during 16 years mean follow-up. For associations between a 1-year mean of Lden and overall stroke incidence, the estimated HR (95% CI) in the fully adjusted model was 1.06 (0.98–1.14) per 10 dB, which attenuated to 1.01 (0.93–1.09) and 1.00 (0.91–1.09) in models further adjusted for PM2.5 or NO2, respectively. Associations for other exposure periods or separately for ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke were similar. There was no evidence of a threshold association between Lden and stroke. Conclusions Long-term exposure to road traffic noise was suggestively positively associated with the risk of overall stroke, although not after adjusting for air pollution.

scholarly journals Air Pollution, Vietnames Legal Finalization for Environmental Protection

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mai Hai Dang
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Burden Of Disease ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Household Air Pollution ◽  
World Health ◽  
Motor Vehicles ◽  
Parkinson’S Diseases

Air pollution has been a growing concern for decades, which has a serious toxicological impact on human health and the environment. It has a number of different emission sources, but motor vehicles and industrial processes contribute the major part of air pollution. According to the World Health Organization, six major air pollutants include particle pollution, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and lead. Air pollution is considered as the major environmental risk factor in the incidence and progression of some diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, ventricular hypertrophy, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, psychological complications, autism, retinopathy, fetal growth, and low birth weight. This article aims to discuss toxicology of major air pollutants, sources of emission, and their impact on human health. We have also proposed practical measures to reduce air pollution in VietNam. Keywords: Air pollution, cardiovascular diseases, environment, human health, Vietnam. References: [1] http://www.healthdata.org/infograp hic/global-burden-air-pollution.[2] http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/781521473177013155/pdf/108141-REVISED-Cost-of-PollutionWebCORRECTEDfile.pdf.[3] https://epi.envirocenter.yale.edu/epi-topline.[4] https://thanhnien.vn/thoi-su/khong-khi-ha-noi-lai-vuon-len-muc-o-nhiem-nhat-the-gioi-1185769.html.[5] Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (adopted 13 November 1979, entered into force 16 March 1983).[6] United States Environmental Protection Agency (2007), “Terms of Environment: Glossary, Abbreviations and Acronyms.[7] Trường Đại học Luật Hà Nội, Giáo trình luật môi trường, NXB. Công an Nhân dân, Hà Nội, 2014, tr.165.[8] WHO, ‘A Global Assessment of Exposure and Burden of Disease: FAQs’ http://www. who.int/phe/health_topics/outdoorair/global-exposure-assessment-faq/en.[9] https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/what-causes-air-pollution#agriculture.[10] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/household-air-pollution-and-health.[11] WHO, “Household Air Pollution and Health” (February 2016).http://www.who.int/ mediacentre/factsheets/fs292/en/.[12] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/household-air-pollution-and-health.[13] M. Sand et al, “Response of Arctic Temperature to Changes in Emissions of Short-Lived Climate Forcers” (2016) 6 Nature Climate Change 286.[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6862654/#B2-ijerph-16-04296.[15] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749114000062.[16] Kết luận số 56-KL/TW, ngày 23/8/2019 của Bộ Chính trị về tiếp tục thực hiện Nghị quyết Trung ương 7 khoá XI về chủ động ứng phó với biến đổi khí hậu, tăng cường quản lí tài nguyên và bảo vệ môi trường.[17] Quyết định số 79/QĐ-BTNMT, ngày 09/01/2020 của Bộ trưởng Bộ Tài nguyên và Môi trường về việc công bố 10 sự kiện ngành tài nguyên và môi trường năm 2019.[18] https://www.thiennhien.net/2020/02/25/chat-luong-khong-khi-do-thi-dien-bien-xau-trong-2-thang-dau-nam/.[19] https://vietnamnet.vn/vn/thoi-su/moi-truong/khong-khi-ha-noi-o-nguong-rat-co-hai-ngay-thu-7-lien-tiep-599095.html.[20] https://thanhnien.vn/thoi-su/khong-khi-ha-noi-lai-vuon-len-muc-o-nhiem-nhat-the-gioi-1185769.html.[21] Shannon N. Koplitz và cộng sự, Burden of Disease from Rising Coal-Fired Power Plant Emissions in Southeast Asia (2017), https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.est.6b03731. [22] Nguyễn Quang Dy, Câu chuyện đầu năm: Nguy cơ khủng hoảng môi trường, http://www.viet-studies.net/kinhte/NQuangDy_KhungHoangMoiTruong.html.    

scholarly journals Assessment of Air Pollution over Baghdad City Using Fixed Annual Stations and GIS Techniques

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zainab B. Mohammed ◽  
Ali Abdul Khaliq Kamal ◽  
Ali S. Resheq ◽  
Waleed M. Sh. Alabdraba
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Spatial Interpolation ◽  
Nitrogen Monoxide ◽  
World Health ◽  
Distribution Maps ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Who Standards ◽  
Main Observation ◽  
Interpolation Techniques

Baghdad, considered one of the most polluted and populated cities in Iraq, waschoosen for mapping the distribution of air pollutants and the overall pollution levels by using the ArcGIS techniques. Six of main observation stations werechoosen in a particular location. Then, the recorded data from these stations were spatially interpolated using two types of ArcGIS interpolation techniques. The spatial interpolation techniques used in this work were Inverse distance weighting (IDW) and fuzzy logic. This study includes measuring the main air pollutants, which were nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NOx), and nitrogen monoxide (NO) during the period from January 2018 to December 2018. The data recorded by the stations during the work period and the distribution maps of air pollutants, which resulted from spatial interpolation (IDW) method, showed that the concentration of NO2 was within the International limits of World Health Origination (WHO) which is about 0.11 ppm. SO2 concentrations were exceeding the WHO limits in all stations for the study area. The concentrations of CO ranged from 0.484 ppm to 7.027 ppm that were within acceptable limits of WHO standards that is 9 ppm. NOx concentrations ranged between 0.01506 ppm – 0.214 ppm, which were exceeding acceptable limits of WHO standards (0.01 ppm). The concentrations of NO did not exceed the WHO standard limits, which are 0.08 ppm. Finally, the fuzzsy logic method of spatial interpolation in ArcGIS was applied to evaluate the air pollution over Baghdad city.

scholarly journals Ambient and household air pollution: complex triggers of disease

2014 ◽  
Vol 307 (4) ◽  
pp. H467-H476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Farmer ◽  
Timothy D. Nelin ◽  
Michael J. Falvo ◽  
Loren E. Wold
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
World Health ◽  
Outdoor Air ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Adverse Health ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor

Concentrations of outdoor air pollution are on the rise, particularly due to rapid urbanization worldwide. Alternatively, poor ventilation, cigarette smoke, and other toxic chemicals contribute to rising concentrations of indoor air pollution. The World Health Organization recently reported that deaths attributable to indoor and outdoor air pollutant exposure are more than double what was originally documented. Epidemiological, clinical, and animal data have demonstrated a clear connection between rising concentrations of air pollution (both indoor and outdoor) and a host of adverse health effects. During the past five years, animal, clinical, and epidemiological studies have explored the adverse health effects associated with exposure to both indoor and outdoor air pollutants throughout the various stages of life. This review provides a summary of the detrimental effects of air pollution through examination of current animal, clinical, and epidemiological studies and exposure during three different periods: maternal (in utero), early life, and adulthood. Additionally, we recommend future lines of research while suggesting conceivable strategies to curb exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollutants.

scholarly journals Exercising in Air Pollution: The Cleanest versus Dirtiest Cities Challenge

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 1502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Pasqua ◽  
Mayara Damasceno ◽  
Ramon Cruz ◽  
Monique Matsuda ◽  
Marco Garcia Martins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Relative Risk ◽  
Aerobic Exercise ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Minute Ventilation ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
World Health ◽  
Exercise Session ◽  
All Cause Mortality

Background: Aerobic exercise is recommended to improve health. However, the increased ventilation might increase the doses of inhaled air pollutants, negating the health benefits in highly polluted areas. Our objective was to estimate the inhaled dose of air pollutants during two simulated exercise sessions at cleanest and dirtiest cities reported by World Health Organization (WHO) considering air quality. Methods: Minute ventilation data were extracted from laboratory-based exercise of 116 incremental running tests and used to calculate total ventilation of a hypothetical 30-min moderate continuous exercise routine. Afterwards, total ventilation values were combined with particulate matter (PM) data reported by the WHO for the 10 cleanest and 10 dirtiest cities, to calculate inhaled doses and the relative risk of all-cause mortality by exercising in different air pollution concentrations. Findings: The dirtiest cities are located at less developed countries compared to cleanest cities. The inhaled dose of PM2.5 and PM10 were significantly higher in the dirtiest cities compared to the cleanest cities at rest and exercise, and significantly higher during exercise compared to the rest at dirtiest cities. The relative risk of all-cause mortality analysis showed that, while exercise in the cleanest cities improved health benefits throughout up to 90 min, there were no further health benefits after 15 min of exercise in the dirtiest cities, and the air pollution health risks surpassed the exercise benefits after 75 min. Interpretation: Our findings suggest that a traditional 30-min of moderate aerobic exercise session might induce inhalation of high levels of pollutants when performed at dirtiest cities. Considering several adverse health effects from air pollutants inhalation, so the results suggest that the air pollution levels of the cities should be taken into account for physical exercise recommendations.

scholarly journals Study of number of total mortality, cardiovascular and Respiratory mortality attributed to air pollutants of Tehran in 2005-2014

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 439-448
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Health Effect ◽  
Total Mortality ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Ambient Air Pollution ◽  
World Health ◽  
Annual Number ◽  
Respiratory Mortality

<p>Over the last few decades, the evidence on the adverse effects on the health of air pollution has been raised. Mortality is the most important health effect of ambient air pollution. We studied the relation between mortality and criteria pollutant air in Tehran, one of the highly industrialized, densely populated area and most polluted cities of the reign, during 2005-2014. For this purpose, we applied the approach proposed by the World Health Organization using the AirQ 2.2.3 model. Hourly concentrations of pollutants were taken from the Tehran environmental protection agency and Air Quality Control Company. In this model, the attributable proportion of health outcome, the annual number of excess cases of mortality for all causes were estimated. According to results, the number of total mortality caused by exposure to O3, NO2, SO2, PM10, PM2.5 in the past decade was 8042, 15141, 8136, 17776 and 20015 cases, respectively. The number of cumulative total mortality was 53110 cases in ten years. Furthermore, the number of cumulative cardiovascular and respiratory mortality 33887 and 8168 cases was estimated in last decade. A large number of residents of Tehran have died as a result of exposure to air pollutants; therefore for control and management of air pollution, appropriate actions on health and the environment should be performed.</p>

scholarly journals Association of Low Birthweight and Indoor Air Pollution: Biomass Fuel Use in Bangladesh

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 18-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Rifat Haider ◽  
Mohammad Masudur Rahman ◽  
Farahnaz Islam ◽  
M. Mahmud Khan
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Low Birthweight ◽  
Random Effect ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Biomass Fuel ◽  
Solid Fuels

Background. More than 90% of all low birthweight (LBW) babies are born in developing countries, and half of the population in developing nations uses solid fuels as their primary source of energy for cooking. An association between household use of solid biomass fuels and reduced newborn weight has been found in a number of countries. Bangladesh has a high prevalence of LBW babies (22%), and 88% of the population use solid fuels for cooking. Objectives. This study aims to explore whether indoor air pollution is associated with LBW in Bangladesh, an important determinant of infant mortality and morbidity. Methods. The 2011 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) was used for the present analysis. The total number of births reported in the previous five years by respondents in the survey sample was 8,753. Mothers' recall of their baby's weight was the dependent dichotomous variable. A mixed effects logistic regression model was fitted using region as a random effect and several independent fixed effects. Results. High pollutant cooking fuels, such as coal and wood, resulted in higher odds of having a LBW child compared to use of electricity/gas (odds ratio (OR): 2.6, confidence interval (CI): 1.1–6.2 and OR: 1.1, CI: 1.0–1.2). Factors which lowered the odds include mothers with a bachelor's degree or higher education (OR: 0.6, CI: 0.4–0.9), third order children (OR: 0.8, CI: 0.6–0.9), fourth or higher order children (OR: 0.8, CI: 0.6–1.0), having a male child (OR: 0.7, CI: 0.7–0.8), and receiving sufficient antenatal care (OR: 0.8, CI: 0.6–0.9). Factors which increase the odds of having a LBW infant include mothers who are underweight compared to normal weight mothers (OR: 1.1, CI: 1.1–1.2), mistimed pregnancies (OR: 1.2, CI: 1.0–1.4), or unplanned pregnancies (OR: 1.3, CI: 1.0–1.7), compared to planned pregnancies. Conclusions. This is the first paper to show an association between use of highly pollutant biomass fuel and prevalence of LBW babies in Bangladesh, suggesting that besides polluting the air and causing respiratory illnesses, biomass fuel combustion may also affect the health of fetuses in utero. Further longitudinal studies are required to establish this finding among mothers in developing countries.

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