The frequencies of the A and G alleles vary markedly across different ethnic groups. The A allele is very common in East Asians, and as expected, most people in this population don't need to use deodorant. And so they don't use it—it's estimated that only 7% of North East Asians regularly use deodorant.
Most of the world's population has the gene that codes for the wet-type earwax and average body odor; however, East Asians are more likely to inherit the allele associated with the dry-type earwax and a reduction in body odor.
More than half of the Vietnamese males and females have concerns on their body odor. Besides from showering daily, deodorant products have been widely used to prevent the body odor. 92% takes bath at least once/ day.
This is a particular problem on the Sabbath – Judaism's holiest day running from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. Orthodox Jews are forbidden from doing anything that's considered work – even using a deodorant. And that makes Sabbath prayers in packed synagogues a very smelly affair.
In India, body odour is as reviled as it is ubiquitous. For years, Indian households relied on fragrant talcum powders such as Ponds and Santoor to stay odourless. But young and aspiring Indians, with more money to spare, have increasingly turned to deodorants, that are seen as a cheaper alternative to pricey perfumes.
Although there is some controversy on the subject of "racial" variation in body odor, it is determined that African blacks probably produce the greatest amount of apocrine sweat, which is the known substrate for axillary odor.
As it turns out, a percentage of the population lack the gene that prevents stinky pits. According to researchers from the University of Bristol, that special gene is called ABCC11.
Japanese people tend to sweat less and have a weak body odor. There is some quantifiable science behind this statement. The skin contains two types of sweat glands; the eccrine glands (that secrete through pores) and apocrine glands (which secrete through the hair follicles and hair).
Scientists in recent years have shown that many East Asians, a group that includes China's ethnic Han majority, have a gene that lowers the likelihood of a strong “human axillary odor” — scientist-speak for body stink.
The University of Bristol research suggested only 0.006 percent of the Korean population have the ABCC11 gene, a major culprit behind the odor problem. The research was based on the Allel Frequency Database (ALFRED), a gene database designed by Yale University.
Relevant paragraph from Wikipedia from the article on body odor below, but the TL;DR is that there's a gene called ABCC11 that is non-functional in 80 to 95 percent of East Asians. That allele determines both apocrine sweat gland size and activity, concentration of protein in apocrine sweat, and, oddly, wet-type vs.
“A high percentage of Korean patients have the mutation called ABCC11 which alters the composition of sweat so that they do not produce body odor,” he confirms with Very Good Light. “Body odor is produced when sweat is broken down by bacteria that live naturally on the skin.
Everyone is different but in general YES, we do. The odors may be different compared to white or black people, but there are odors nonetheless. That is why there are so many Japanese deodorants out there on the market. If few used them, they would not sell them.
Focus on the areas where you sweat the most, like your armpits and groin area. Removing some of the bacteria on your skin regularly can prevent unpleasant body odor. Keep your armpits shaved, so sweat evaporates quickly and doesn't have as much time to interact with bacteria. Hair is a breeding ground for bacteria.
Caucasian, Asian and Indian hair samples were put to the test for the World's Best Hair study. Their results put an end to any splitting of hairs over the issue: in terms of health, the Indian hair is the best, topping other ethnic groups on all four counts.
Modern deodorants
In 1888, the first modern commercial deodorant, Mum, was developed and patented by a U.S. inventor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Edna Murphey.
Is it true that Japanese don't need deodorant because they don't smell as bad as Western people? It's because of the apocrine sweat gland.
Shintoism teaches that Evil is associated with dirtiness, good with cleanliness. According to Japanese adherents of Shintoism, the original creator was born in the sea; worshippers at Shinto shrines still wash their mouths out. For many, cleanliness is not next to godliness, but for the Japanese it is godliness.
If you're not wearing deodorant or antiperspirant and you're rushing out the door, then "your sweat glands may become more active," which leads to increased secretion of sweat, says Surin-Lord. And while sweat itself can be annoying, it can also lead to bacteria build-up in your armpits, she notes.
With a little patience, I discovered it is possible to wean your body off of the chemical antiperspirants. I rarely notice issues with excess perspiration or stinky pits, even after my heavy workouts. It's time we really take notice of what we're putting on our bodies just as much as we care about what we put in them.
Whether you're on team still-swiping-on-deodorant-every-single-day even when social distancing, or if you're enjoying the deodorant holiday, experts say that taking a break from this personal hygiene product is A-okay. (Maybe keep a yummy-smelling body spritzer around, though, if you're not alone.)
For most people, putting on deodorant is a necessary ritual on par with brushing teeth or washing hands. But for those who produce no armpit stench, it is totally unnecessary. Despite that, more than three-quarters of those people still use deodorant at least once a week, a new study finds.
Denmark. With a total EPI score of 82.5, Denmark is 2020's cleanest and most environmentally friendly country.
Japan is widely recognized as one of the cleanest countries in the world; people have high hygiene awareness, along with good habits such as hand washing and mouth rinsing.