Human Blood Group - Japanese Obsession and an Interesting Indian Interpretation

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Human blood group or a blood type is a classification of blood based on the presence or absence of inherited antigenic substances on the surface of red blood cells. These antigens may be protein, carbohydrates, glycoproteins etc.

A total of 35 human blood group systems are now recognised by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT). The two most important ones are ABO and the RhD Antigens which determine someone’s blood type (A, B, AB and O with +, -, or null denoting RhD status).

In 1901, Austrian Karl Landsteiner discovered human blood group after which blood transfusion became safe.

1. Japanese Obsession: An Interesting Report

Blood types are what most Japanese think have answers to all the problems, from wooing a prospective lover to securing a promotion at work. It seems that an increasing number of people are subscribing to the theory that blood types determine every aspect of personality, temperament and interaction with others. Over five millions copies of a series of books based on Instruction Manual for people with Type B Blood have been bought by the year 2008. Even though thereâ€™s no scientific evidence linking between blood type and temperament, the Japanese are still enthusiastically embracing the concept.

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2. And an Interesting Indian Interpretation

Blood group affects rate at which a person will burn calories. Consequently, it can help determine right diet as well as the balanced exercise regime for a person, says Dr Parmeet Kaur. The blood group diet is based on the principle that blood group determines: â€¢ Rate of burning of calories â€¢ Specific foods one should consume â€¢ Types of exercise to follow to lose weight, fight disease, boost immune system and retard ageing process.

Blood Type O: is the first type to evolve. It emerged during the hunter-gatherer period. This blood type thrives on a meat-eating diet and consequently requires intense physical exercise to help burn off the meat. Blood type A: this type was formed when man began to develop an agricultural lifestyle. The A blood type does best on a vegetarian diet for weight loss; especially the macrobiotic diet. Blood Type B: Evolved from the mixing of blood types O and A. The B blood type does best on a dairy diet with some meat (no chicken) and few grains. Blood Type AB: The newest blood type to emerge and is best adapted to a moderate diet and benefits from both the A and B type diets. Meat is not as well digested as seafood, dairy, wheat-free grains and soy foods. For weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight they do best on seafood, dairy, nuts and grains. Nutritionistâ€™s verdict: There is no scientific evidence or basis to correlate different types of blood groups to historical eating patterns or that modifying current dietary intake on the basis of different blood groups influences weight loss.