Why Chinese have high prevalence of Hepatitis B and

[nygirl]

other GI diseases? Thank you for your help

[straightshooter]

Where are you getting your statistics? I didn't know that Chinese people have a higher prevalence of Hepatitis B and other GI diseases than other ethnicity's. If this statistic is true, I would think it would be for genetic reasons. Perhaps, genetically speaking, Chinese people are genetically more susceptible for catching these types of diseases because their immune systems aren't geared to resist these diseases like other cultures are. The reason why Chinese peoples immune systems wouldn't be geared to stop these kind of diseases would probably be because these diseases may be relatively new to East Asia, and were probably introduced by other cultures carrying these diseases, (for thousands of years until the culture wasn't as effected by these diseases), and coming into contact with the Chinese in the distant past. Just like how many Native Americans were wiped out by the common cold; their genes weren't geared to fight off the common cold because it was a new disease to them.As far as the answer above by susas, that wouldn't explain a higher prevalence of these diseases to Chinese Americans who have relatively the same standard of living as any one else in this country. I disagree that Chinese people are less sanitary then any other culture and I disagree that Chinese people eat worse than any other culture. This blanket statement reeks of racism and I'm offended by her remark cause I am half Chinese.And as for rockford - He's grossily mistaken. Chinese people use toilet paper. Just another example of somebody who doesn't know what he's talking about, and the link he gave doesn't prove anything except that perhaps squat toilets may be more sanitary because you have no contact with the toilet.