Abstract
BackgroundTraditional Chinese Medicine Constitution (TCMC) refers to an integrated, metastable and natural specialty of individual in morphosis, physiological functions and psychological conditions. It is formed on the basis of innate and acquired endowments in the human life process, which can be divided into normal constitution and unbalanced ones. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of TCMCs of Chinese women in Hong Kong and its acquired influencing factors.MethodsLocal Chinese women between 30 to 65years old, were recruited from 18 districts of Hong Kong (n = 944), and were assessed using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Physical Constitution Scale for their TCMC types. Social-demographic, reproductive, lifestyle, systemic health and emotional status information were collected through structured questionnaire. The associations between different independent factors and each TCMC type, as well as the complex unbalanced TCMC types were tested individually. Significant factors related to unbalanced TCMC types were identified in final models using multiple factor analysis.ResultsA total of 764 (80.9%) participants were diagnosed with unbalanced TCMCs. The most common TCMC type was Qi-deficiency constitution (53.9%), followed by Phlegm-wetness (38.9%), Yang-deficiency (38.2%), Yin-deficiency (35.5), Blood-stasis (35.4) and Qi-depressed (31%) constitution. Six hundred and eleven participants (64.7%) had at least two types of combined and unbalanced constitutions. Stepwise logistic analysis indicated that poor systemic health condition (OR, 1.76-2.89), negative emotions (OR = 1.39), overweight (OR = 1.58), high educational level (OR = 1.18) and mental work (OR = 1.44) were significantly positively correlated with certain unbalanced TCMCs. Meanwhile, aging (OR, 0.59-0.73), exercise habit (OR, 0.61-0.79) and reproductive history (OR = 0.72) showed inverse associations with unbalanced constitutions. In addition, systemic health condition and emotional status, exercise habit and age were significantly associated with the combined unbalanced TCMC types.ConclusionThe majority of middle-aged Chinese women in Hong Kong had unbalanced and complex TCMCs. Qi-deficiency, Phlegm-wetness and Yang-deficiency constitutions are the most common constitutions. Poor systemic health condition, less-than-satisfactory emotional life, overweight and mental work are associated with and may be contributors for the formation of unbalanced TCMCs, while regular physical exercise was found to be a potential protective factor for unbalanced TCMCs.
Highlights
Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution (TCMC) refers to an integrated, metastable and natural specialty of individual in morphosis, physiological functions and psychological conditions
The results showed that (1) Qideficiency constitution was significantly associated with healthy status, age, exercise habit and religion; (2) phlegmwetness constitution was significantly correlated to healthy status, BMI, exercise habit and educational level; (3) Yangdeficiency constitution was closely related with healthy status, BMI and reproductive history; (4) Yin-deficiency constitution was significantly associated with healthy status, age and working nature; (5) Blood-stasis constitution was significantly relevant to healthy status, age and exercise habit; (6) Qi-depressed constitution was closely related to healthy status, age, exercise habit, emotional status; (7) Wetness-heat constitution was significantly associated with age and long-term physical exercise; (8) Normality constitution was significantly correlated to health status, age, educational level and alcohol use
Poor systemic physical condition is the most important dominating-related factor for the formation of almost all unbalanced TCMC types except for Inherited Special Constitution which is mainly determined by congenital endowments according to TCMC theory
Summary
Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution (TCMC) refers to an integrated, metastable and natural specialty of individual in morphosis, physiological functions and psychological conditions. It is formed on the basis of innate and acquired endowments in the human life process, which can be divided into normal constitution and unbalanced ones. Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution (TCMC, named Tizhi in Chinese) refers to an integrated, metastable and natural specialty of individuals in morphosis, physiological functions and psychological conditions, formed on the basis of innate and acquired endowments in the process of life [1,2].
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