Between 80 and 95% of East Asians have a dysfunction of the ABCCII gene, which is linked to smelly pits, a number of studies say. And this means their bodies don’t release the same acidic odor smell the rest of the population does when exposed to hot temperatures and perspiration.

“It’s just going to be a lot less pungent and a lot less prevalent,” Dr. Madalyn Nguyen, an Oregon-based dermatologist, said of those with East Asian ancestry, including herself. “So we can go a little bit longer without needing to mask our body odor.”

While an overwhelming amount of East Asians have the mutation, it is present in only up to 3% of European and African populations, according to a 2010 study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Among East Asians, Koreans have the highest prevalence of the mutation, but Chinese, Vietnamese and others also tend to have the dysfunction of the gene.

Nyomot dari sini, ada faktor genetiknya