Despite advances in medical research and technology, experts remain relatively uncertain about the causes of some common diseases. Both genetic and environmental factors are involved, and the range of contributing possibilities in each disease category is enormous. Interestingly, there are some places in the world where common diseases occur rarely. Let’s explore these locations and the potential reasons behind their low prevalence rates for certain diseases.
Beijing residents rarely get osteoarthritis
Comparatively, elderly residents in Beijing have an 80 to 90 percent lower prevalence of hip osteoarthritis than their counterparts in the United States. A possible explanation for this significant difference could be the lower rates of obesity and weight-related joint disease in China compared to America.
Copper Canyon, Mexico residents don’t have high cholesterol
High cholesterol is an essential risk factor for heart disease, which is the number one killer in the United States. Among the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico’s Copper Canyon region, high cholesterol and heart disease are nearly nonexistent. The likely reason is their diet, which is extremely low in cholesterol and saturated fat, containing mainly native foods, such as whole corn, beans, pinole, tortillas, cumin, and squash.
Japan’s residents have low rates of depression
Clinical depression rates are low in Japan, affecting less than 2.5 percent of their population. Some of the factors behind this wide disparity compared to other countries might be their stable healthcare system and better economic conditions. However, low rates in Japan might also be due to cultural reasons, such as non-reporting of depression among their male population.
Rural Northern Indians have low rates of Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease affects only 1 percent of adults over the age of 65 in rural northern India. Genetic factors, poor diagnostic methods, or diet could be the reasons behind this low percentage. Some experts suggest that the liberal use of turmeric in traditional Indian cooking might play a role, while others note their diet, high in carbohydrates, grains, fats, and beans and low in meat, could be a significant factor.
Niger has one of the lowest cancer rates in the world
Cancer rates in Niger are 63.4 per 100,000—the lowest in the world. This low prevalence might not be fully understood, but studies indicate that a lower Gross Domestic Product correlates with a lower risk of developing any cancer type.
Sardinia has the highest rate of 100-year-old living residents
Sardinia is home to the world’s highest documented percentage of people who live longer than 100 years. The secret could be a combination of diet, lifestyle, and genetics. A recent research found a gene in the Y chromosome that significantly reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack in Sardinian men.
China has the lowest rates of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is less common among men living in China (1.7 per 100,000) than, for example, in France (227.1 per 100,000). The death rate from prostate cancer is also exceedingly low in China at 1.0 per 100,000. Reasons for these low rates range from diet (including lots of green tea), hard work, genetics, and lack of sufficient screening.
Egyptians rarely get Parkinson’s disease
Egypt has the lowest rate of death from Parkinson’s disease – 0.12 per 100,000 population. The precise reasons for the disparity between death rates for Parkinson’s are unclear, although a significant risk factor for the disease is exposure to pesticides and chemicals used in metal processing, which corresponds to the prevalence of these contaminants in parts of the United States where the disease is more common.
Muslim countries rarely get skin cancer
Populations living in Muslim nations have very few cases of skin cancer because they typically have higher pigmentation, wear traditional clothing that protects them from the sun, and do not sunbathe. Countries such as Maldives, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Somalia have very low skin cancer rates due to these factors.
These low disease prevalence rates in certain areas offer insight that could lead to better prevention methods and healthier lifestyles. Diet, lifestyle, genetic, and cultural factors all play a role in the lower occurrence rates of these common diseases, and these examples might offer valuable lessons to adopt for a healthier lifestyle.
