When I saw that this question was raised by a "fragrant" Indian netizen, I couldn't help but cover my nose...
However, this question is indeed worth discussing in depth.
It seems that, apart from some countries in East Asia, people in other parts of the world, especially in Europe and the United States, as well as Indians, generally have a noticeable body odor.
Why is it that, although all humans are the same species, the differences in body odor among different groups can be so pronounced?
Despite the fact that Yellow, White, and Black people are all part of humanity, the differences in body odor between different ethnic groups are quite significant.
Even among people of the same skin color, body odors from different regions can vary.
For example, most White people from Europe and Russia emit a faint sour smell when approached, which becomes particularly pronounced in enclosed spaces.
However, body odor can be mitigated through daily hygiene practices.
As long as they consistently bathe every day and apply some perfume or deodorant, they usually do not emit a strong unpleasant odor.
But if they become a bit lazy and skip bathing for a few days, the smell will quickly return, resembling that of spoiled food, making it unbearable.
The French and Black individuals have a unique body odor; if you've ever been near a camel, you'll find their smell to be quite similar.
This odor is intense and spreads widely, detectable from a distance.
Spending time with them in an enclosed space can even be uncomfortable or nauseating.
As for the body odor of Indians, it can simply be described as pungent.
This is mainly attributed to the prevalence of body odor issues, especially in India.
Walking down the streets of India, if you encounter ten Indian men, almost eight of them will have body odor, which is even more intolerable than the sour smell.
Compared to other regions, East Asian individuals generally have little to no body odor; in fact, some Chinese people have a faint natural fragrance, particularly children, who sometimes even have a milky scent.
From the perspective of body odor, research shows that Black individuals have the highest probability of experiencing body odor, with about 80% of Whites affected, while East Asians have the lowest likelihood.
The rate of body odor among Koreans is less than 3%, among Chinese it is below 6%, and while Japanese people have the highest body odor rate among East Asians, it still falls far below that of Europeans and Americans.
In terms of body odor, studies have found that Koreans are the least affected globally, with only about 5% experiencing it, followed by Chinese individuals, whose body odor rate is less than 10%. Japan's body odor rate is slightly higher, around 20%.
The most severely affected group is African Americans, with nearly everyone having body odor, with an incidence close to 100%.
Following closely are Africans and Latin Americans, whose body odor probability also exceeds 90%.
To understand why some individuals have body odor, one must first grasp the source of it.
The human body contains two types of sweat glands: one called "eccrine glands," which are distributed throughout the body and constitute the vast majority of sweat glands.
The other type is called "apocrine glands," which are mainly concentrated in areas like the armpits and groin.
Typically, the sweat produced by eccrine glands is almost odorless, while the sweat secreted by apocrine glands is different; it contains proteins and fatty acids.
These substances do not inherently produce odor, but when they come into contact with bacteria on the skin's surface, the bacteria break down these substances, releasing "unsaturated fatty acids," which is the source of body odor.
In theory, everyone has apocrine glands and bacteria in their bodies, so anyone can potentially develop body odor.
However, in ancient humans thousands of years ago, body odor was indeed common, with those lacking body odor being the exception.
But over time, this situation gradually changed, leading to the current differences in body odor among various groups.
About two thousand generations ago, human ancestors migrated from the tropical regions of Africa to the subtropical areas of Asia.
During this process, a gene that controls the secretion of apocrine glands underwent a mutation, resulting in a decrease in secretion.
As the secretion from apocrine glands diminished, the bacteria on the skin lost sufficient "food," and body odor thus became milder.
This gene mutation primarily occurred among East Asian populations, especially among Chinese individuals, with 95% possessing this mutation known as the "freshness gene."
It is this gene, passed down through generations, that has led to most Chinese individuals not experiencing body odor issues.
Koreans have a similar situation, with about 90% of the population having this gene, so body odor is also uncommon among Koreans.
In contrast, the situation is slightly worse for Japanese individuals, with only about 84% possessing this gene.
Conversely, most White individuals lack this gene, which is why their body odor is often more pronounced, necessitating the use of large amounts of perfume to mask their scent.
The differences in body odor primarily stem from genetics, sweat gland secretions, and bacterial breakdown.
Individuals in East Asia experience fewer body odor issues due to genetic mutations, while those in other regions are more prone to body odor and sweat issues due to higher levels of sweat gland secretions.
These differences not only affect individuals' daily lives but also create unique phenomena across different cultures.
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