Study of health characteristics of female college students according to sasang constitution and factors affecting BMI

Study of health characteristics of female college students according to sasang constitution and factors affecting BMI Minjeong Kim.Soojin Lee Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Sangji University, Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Sangji University Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the ordinary symptoms, special symptoms and Body Mass Index (BMI) according to Sasang constitution in female college students. Also, we aimed to analyze the factors affecting BMI. Methods Forty-four female college students participated in this study. Sasang Constitution was determined by Questionnaire for Sasang Constitution Classification (QSCC) II. BMI was measured and ordinary symptoms were acqired through the questionnaire. Special symptoms was determined by Fatigue Severity Index (FSS), Premenstrual Symptom Screening Tool (PSST), ROME III, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), respectively. For statistical analysis, t-test, analysis of variance and correlation test has been used. Results There existed significant differences in ordinary symptoms and special symptoms between sasang constitutions. Taeumin had higher urine frequency than soyangin, soeumin had higher gap of feces than taeumin. Taeumin had higher BMI and ROME III score than soyangin and soeumin. They showed significant differences in ordinary symptoms and special symptoms according to BMI. Overweight and obese group is higher in water intake than low and normal group. Low weight and normal group is higher in gap of feces than overweight and obese group. High score group in PSST and ROME III showed high BMI than low score group. We analyzed the factors that affect BMI. BMI are highly correlated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Also, FSS, PSST, ROME III and OSDI showed high correlation with each other. Conclusion Urine frequency and gap of feces are different among sasang constitutional types. The obese group and normal group showed significant differences in water intake, gap of feces, PSST and ROME III score. It is found that factors that affecting BMI are systolic and diastolic blood pressure. These results may lead to identifying the causes and factors of obesity in female college students related to Sasang constitution.