Video Analysis Essay on Hygiene Hypothesis

Introduction

Graham and Stephen in the video are all of the idea that incidences of chronic inflammatory diseases are on the rise while the cases of infectious diseases have reduced from the start of the 21st century (YouTube, 2018). The trend has been observed and documented in both developing and already developed countries. The logic behind the observation can be explained using the hygiene hypothesis which is the topic under discussion. Graham is of the idea that human beings co-exist with pathogens and failure to interact between the two leads to a state of immune imbalance. The body will not be able to produce the right immune response if it meets the pathogen for the first time.

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The hygiene hypothesis is the premise that infectious diseases are reducing with the increase in hygiene while chronic inflammatory disorders are on the rise. The hygiene hypothesis came to light after the industrialization era. Developed countries like the United Kingdom and The United States emphasize on both the environmental and personal hygiene as compared to the third world countries. The industrialization era saw the introduction of latrines, water treatment, vaccines and procedures such as pasteurization of milk.

Emphasis on hygiene and mores, so vaccines led to a decline in mortality rates of children under the age of five. The hygiene hypothesis comes to play where most children raised in clean environments rarely got in touch with infectious agents and therefore infrequently fell sick. The immune systems of such children while growing up are not suited to produce or turn off inflammatory responses in case pathogens enter their immune system (YouTube, 2018). The effect on the non-adoptive immune system is seen in the older ages when people are exposed to agents that cause non- communicable diseases. For instance, the immune system is not in a position to protect the body against fat cells or allergy-causing agents.

Graham and Stephen have identified diet, physical activities and the environment as the major risk factors to rise in non- communicable diseases (YouTube, 2018). The environmental and the diet factors have been explained by the study done between children from Burkina Faso and those from the United Kingdom. Burkina Faso is a third world country while the United Kingdom is a developed country. The children from the United Kingdom are assumed to live in a much hygienic environment as compared to those from Burkina Faso. The result of the study shows that the children from Burkina Faso had an abundant gut flora while those from the UK missed some essential gut microbes. The difference in the gut flora is due to the diet of which children from Burkina Faso ate a lot of fiber and less of meat. The children from Burkina Faso with a full gut flora are in a better position to develop robust immune systems in the future as compared to the children from the United Kingdom (YouTube, 2018). The reduction in physical activity is also a risk factor. Exercises improve the cardiovascular and suppress the fat cells that can lead to obesity.

Conclusion

The video is relevant to the topic of the hygiene hypothesis. Graham and Stephen base their arguments on some research done by the world health organization (YouTube, 2018). The relevance of the data gathered is backed up by the fact that the study has broad coverage and can compare the date from one region to another. However, the data by world health organization might not have factors issues such as the state of medical programs when it comes to the fact that infectious diseases are still at a high rate in third world countries.

Reference

YouTube. (2018). The Hygiene Hypothesis: Disease Patterns in Industrialized and Developing Countries. [online] Available at: HYPERLINK "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poC54co1gT0" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poC54co1gT0 [Accessed 15th Jun. 2018].