Is this real science? I'm all about studies about germs, cleanliness and health, but I lost confidence when I read this: "The research took advantage of a lon

Is this real science? I'm all about studies about germs, cleanliness and health, but I lost confidence when I read this: "The research took advantage of a longitudinal study of Filipinos, following participants in utero through 22 years of age, to get a better understanding of how environments early in life affect C-reactive protein (CRP) production in adulthood." "The Northwestern researchers were interested in what CRP production looks like in the Philippines, a population with a high level of infectious diseases in early childhood compared to Western countries. Relative to Western countries, the Philippines also has relatively low rates of obesity and cardiovascular diseases, consistent with the Northwestern research findings." "Blood tests showed that C-reactive protein was at least 80 percent lower for study participants in the Philippines when they reached young adulthood, relative to their American counterparts, though the Filipinos suffered from many more infectious diseases as infants and toddlers." It sounds like they're assuming that children in the Philippines eat the same foods as Americans, exercise the same amounts, etc. [edit for clarity]