Western Lifestyle and Increased Prevalence of Atopic Diseases: An Example from a Small Papua New Guinean Island

World Allergy Organization Journal

Johannes Ring²  Heidrun Behrendt²  Ursula Krämer³  Wolfgang Weninger¹  Ross STC Barnetson¹  Oliver CH Herbert⁴ 

[1] Department of Dermatology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia;Division of Environmental Dermatology and Allergology, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Technical University Munich, Biedersteinerstrasse 29, 80802 Munich, Germany;Institute for Environmental Medical Research, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany;The Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

关键词: Karkar Island;    Papua New Guinea;    tropics;    public health;    parasites;    infections;    Westernization;    modern versus traditional lifestyle;    atopic disease;    allergy prevalence;   

Others  :  1180861
DOI  :  10.1097/WOX.0b013e3181accf27

【 摘 要 】

Background

Allergic diseases represent an increasing problem in public health in most modern societies as their prevalence has risen markedly during recent decades. Nevertheless, the causes of this increase are not yet fully explained.

Objective

We investigated the correlation of Western lifestyle pattern in varying intensity to the prevalence of atopic diseases in 5 small villages on Karkar Island, in northeast Papua New Guinea.

Methods

Two hundred forty-eight native people from 5 villages on tropical Karkar Island have been included in this study. The degree of Western lifestyle was assessed (questionnaire and observation) for each village. The prevalence of atopic diseases was evaluated by personal and family history, physical and dermatological examination, skin prick test (10 allergens), and measurement of total and specific immunoglobulin E levels (20 common allergens).

Results

The more easily accessible and thus more "modern" and westernized coastal villages showed a significantly higher prevalence of habitants suffering from atopic diseases than a traditional mountain village (6.8% vs 0.0%, P = 0.034, Fisher exact test). A total of 4.4% (11/248) of the examined islanders suffered from an atopic disease. Atopic eczema seems to be absent on Karkar Island.

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that so-called Western lifestyle may contribute to the development of atopic diseases.

【 授权许可】

   
2009 World Allergy Organization; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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