In this study, the BMI characteristics and food preference were examined according to the Sasang constitution typology. The constitution type of the subjects was judged by SCAT2 (SC) and Sasang specialists (SP), and the data were compared with the group (SS) in which the two results coincided. The results of SC and SP were consistent with 55 (38.2%) out of 144 subjects. Among the 55 subjects, there were 36 (65.5%), 15 (27.2%), and 4 (7.3%) Soeumin, Taeeumin, and Soyangin, respectively. The BMI of Taeeumin was significantly higher than that of Soeumin (p< .001) in all analytical methods. On the other hand, there was a difference in determining the body shape of Soyangin between the SCAT2 and specialists. The Taeeum-Soeum Food Preference Index was applied to compare the food preference to 41 types of food. In SS analysis, 13 kinds of foods preferred by Taeeumin or Soeumin were found, of which 8 (19.5%) were consistent with the existing food data. Taeeumin preferred 6 kinds of food, such as cold soybean-soup noodles, wild sesame seaweed soup, pan-fried tofu, Yeongun-jorim, Doraji-namul, and soy milk. In contrast, the favorite foods of Soeumin were black rice and Dak-galbi.
The Sasang constitution typology was analyzed through SCAT2 and a specialist to examine the correlation between the Sasang constitution and dietary pattern, and the difference in BMI and food preference according to Sasang constitution was determined. The Sasang constitution typology of the subjects was classified by SCAT2 and a specialist. Seventy-four subjects were screened by SCAT2 (SC), and 18 of them were judged by the specialist (SP). The results of SCAT2 and the specialist were consistent in 13 subjects (SS). BMI and food preference among these groups were compared. The concordance rate of SCAT2 and the specialist classification was 72.2%. The BMI in SC was significantly lower in the order of Taeeumin, Soyangin, and Soeumin, but no significant difference was observed between Taeeumin and Soyangin in SP and SS. To analyze the preference of food and the constitutional suitability, the ‘Yin-Yang food preference index’ was developed and compared with the data classified by constitutional food according to existing ideological medical theory. As a result, there were 33 food items that matched in the SP-SS, which was more than that in the SC-SP (4 items), SC-SS (6 items), and SCSP- SS (4 items). Twenty-four of the 33 matched food items were consistent with the existing constitutional food data. In conclusion, SCAT2 is a very useful tool for Sasang constitutional research, but for more objective research, it is recommended that subjects who show consistent results by different methods be targeted.