Cooking fumes and cosmetics may be raising women's risk of lung disease

Women over 40 face a higher risk of chronic lung disease, possibly due to indoor pollution, hormonal shifts, and misdiagnosis - not just smoking

You don’t need to smoke to be at risk for serious lung disease — especially if you’re a woman over 40.

 

We often associate lung diseases with older men who’ve smoked for years. But opposed to this popular belief, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe, isn’t just a smoker’s disease, and it’s definitely not just a “man’s problem.” A new study published in BMJ Open Respiratory Research has found that women aged 40 and above are at a significantly higher risk of developing COPD compared to men, even if they’ve never touched a cigarette.

 

 

That means everyday things you might overlook, like cooking fumes, cleaning sprays, or even cosmetics, could be silently damaging your lungs.

What did the study find about women and lung disease?

 

The study titled Gender, tobacco and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: analysis of the 2020 National Health Interview Survey looked at the health data from over 23,000 adults aged 40 and above and found that women are had about a 50 per cent higher risk of lung disease.

 

Among people who had never smoked, 3.2 per cent of women had COPD, compared to just 1.7 per cent of men. And even among smokers, women were still more likely to develop the disease.

 

This suggests that something other than smoking is affecting women’s lung health — and it may be more common than we realise.

Does tobacco affect men and women differently?

 

Not exactly. The study found no biological evidence that women are more vulnerable to smoking-related lung damage.

What could explain higher COPD rates among women?

 

While the study doesn’t pin down a specific cause, it raises a few possible contributing factors:

 

• Indoor air pollution from cooking fumes, household cleaners, or beauty products
• Jobs in cleaning, caregiving, or hospitality where exposure to fumes or dust is common
• Smaller lungs and airways, which may be more sensitive to damage
• Hormonal changes, like menopause or multiple pregnancies, which could affect lung function
• Medical misdiagnosis — doctors often don’t expect to see COPD in women, especially non-smokers

 

According to the study, these risks can go unnoticed, making it harder for women to get diagnosed early.

What are the signs of COPD you should watch for?

 

COPD makes it harder to breathe. Symptoms may include:

• A persistent cough
• Wheezing or shortness of breath
• Feeling tired or winded doing normal activities
• Frequent chest infections

If you’re over 40 and have any of these symptoms — even if you’ve never smoked — it’s important to talk to your doctor.

Why should women pay attention to chronic lung symptoms after 40?

The study highlights that many women are diagnosed late, or not at all, because doctors often don’t consider lung disease in non-smoking women. By the time symptoms get worse, the condition may already be serious.

 

Getting a simple lung function test early could help catch COPD sooner, when it’s easier to manage and treat.

What can you do to protect your lungs?

• Avoid long exposure to indoor fumes — use exhaust fans or ventilate well when cooking or cleaning
• Wear a mask in dusty or chemical-heavy environments
• Stay up to date with check-ups, especially if you’ve had breathing problems or are over 40
• Don’t ignore persistent cough, breathlessness, or fatigue — even if you think it’s “just age”

You don’t have to be a smoker to develop lung problems, and you don’t have to wait for symptoms to get worse before doing something about it. If you’re a woman over 40, your lungs might need more care than you realise.  For more health updates, follow #HealthWithBS 

This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.