Do I really stink or are people just being mean?

I noticed this thing. People do seem to talk about nasty smell when I bump into them or get close. Some are pretty direct:

"You smell like sh!t sir!"

I overheard similar insult with spanish accent with puto at the end. Some are indirect, such as woman exclaiming:

"What's that awful stench?!"

I wonder if this is actually directed at CJ. If it is, is it indication of some stat, such as low sex appeal? Can I fix it? Or is it just random talk?

According to a Gamefaqs thread on the matter, there are 3 ways to fix this:

1. Go swim in the ocean;
2. Go save your game;
3. Equip a fresh set of clothes.