Associations between lifestyle behaviors and traditional Chinese Medicine body constitutions

This study aims to assess the associations between lifestyle behaviors – including smoking, alcohol consumption, tea consumption, and leisure-time physical activity – and traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) body constitutions (BCs), Yin deficiency, Yang deficiency, and phlegm stasis, among Taiwanese adults participating in the Taiwan Biobank Study. A total of 15,665 participants from the Taiwan Biobank Study were included in the analysis. Comprehensive data were collected on lifestyle behaviors (including smoking, alcohol consumption, tea consumption, and leisure-time physical activity) and family medical history. TCM BC types – Yin deficiency, Yang deficiency, and phlegm stasis – were assessed using a well-validated BC questionnaire. Associations between lifestyle behaviors and BC types were examined using multivariate logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (ORs). The average age was 46.55 years (standard deviation: 12.17), with 5611 males (35.82%). Compared with nonsmokers, current smokers had a significantly higher likelihood of having Yang deficiency (OR [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 1.62 [1.39–1.89]), Yin deficiency (1.64 [1.41–1.90]), and phlegm stasis (1.88 [1.59–2.22]) after multivariate adjustment. Compared with nondrinkers, current drinkers had a significantly higher likelihood of having Yin deficiency (1.21 [1.02–1.44]) and phlegm stasis (1.27 [1.04–1.56]) after multivariate adjustment. Tea consumption was significantly associated with phlegm stasis (1.18 [1.08–1.29]). Regarding leisure-time physical activity, this habit was negatively associated with Yang deficiency, Yin deficiency, and phlegm stasis with multivariate adjustment (0.71 [0.65–0.78], 0.74 [0.68–0.81], and 0.63 [0.58–0.70], respectively). This study demonstrates that lifestyle behaviors are associated with imbalanced TCM BCs, particularly Yin deficiency, Yang deficiency, and phlegm stasis.