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Gas-burning stoves in kitchens across America may pose a greater risk to the planet and public health than previously thought, new research suggests. The appliances release far more of the potent planet-warming gas methane than the Environmental Protection Agency estimates, Stanford University scientists found in a study published Thursday in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. The appliances also emit significant amounts of nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant that can trigger asthma and other respiratory conditions. (Joselow, 1/27)

The small study — based on measurements from cooktops, ovens and broilers in 53 homes in California — estimated that stoves emit between 0.8 and 1.3 percent of the natural gas they consume as unburned methane, a potent greenhouse gas. During the course of a typical year, three-quarters of these emissions occur when the devices are shut off, the study showed, which could suggest leaky fittings and connections with gas service lines. Over a 20-year period, emissions from stoves across the United States could be having the same effect in heating the planet as half a million gas-powered cars, the study estimated. (Zhong, 1/27)

A coalition of scientists, physicians and environmental groups is calling on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restrict the use of the industrial chemical bisphenol A, known commonly as BPA, in plastics that contact food. In a formal petition organized by the Environmental Defense Fund and sent to the agency on Thursday, the scientists and groups argue that the federal government should take immediate steps to curb Americans' exposure to the chemical. (Udasin, 1/27)

Two months after touring “environmental justice” communities in three southern states, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan on Wednesday announced bold steps to address complaints from residents about tainted drinking water, chemical plants near homes and a school, and breathing toxic air. Regan said the agency will spend $600,000 to buy “mobile air pollution monitoring equipment” to deploy along an 80-mile stretch of Louisiana along the Mississippi River known as “Cancer Alley” for the many chemical plants, oil and gas refineries, and other industrial facilities located there. (Fears, 1/26)

When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, fitness folks hopped onto stationary bikes at home while gyms were closed. As virtual bike workouts increased, a recent media report stated how female cyclists participating in spin classes have been experiencing urinary incontinence possibly linked to their cycling routine. Health experts told Fox News that pressure from the bicycle seat on the perineum (the genital area) may contribute to problems with urinary incontinence, sexual arousal, and trigger genital pain and numbness in some female and male cyclists. (McGorry, 1/26)

Many people trying to shed pounds have seen their diets stall after a certain amount of weight loss. A new study shows how the body's metabolism slows as a way to balance the lower amount of calories that are consumed. An analysis of data from 65 dieting white and Black women, ages 21 to 41, revealed that their bodies could adapt to burn, on average, 50 fewer calories a day. Some of the women, who were initially overweight or obese, adapted to the weight loss to use hundreds of fewer calories per day, according to the report published Thursday in Obesity. (Carroll, 1/27)

Just 10 minutes of exercise a day could be lifesaving – literally – for people over 40. That's the latest finding in a new peer-reviewed study. The study, published Monday in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, took a look at data compiled by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that examined nearly 5,000 participants ages 6 years and older from 2003 to 2006. Researchers then dissected the activity levels of nearly 5,000 participants ages 40 to 85, tracking the death rates through the end of 2015. (Gleeson, 1/26)

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is looking at ways to prevent people from falling or jumping onto subway tracks, part of the agency’s effort to improve safety amid a growing number of crimes in the system. An MTA task force plans to update the agency’s board next month on different technology options such as sensors and platform doors, Janno Lieber, the MTA’s chief executive officer, said Wednesday during a board meeting. (Kaske and Woodhouse, 1/26)

KHN: Readers And Tweeters: Give Nurse Practitioners Their Due

KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories. (1/27)