Can the Mahalanobis Taguchi system be applied to Sasang constitution classifications by using body shape information?

Abstract

The Mahalanobis Taguchi system (MTS) is a predictive and diagnostic statistical method for classifying normal and abnormal data in multivariate cases. The objective was to apply the MTS to predict Sasang constitution (SC) by using body measurements for classification of SC type. After surveying nine Oriental medical clinics, TY type (N = 9) participants of low proportion were excluded. Therefore, 511 subjects were recruited and body shape information was collected. The classifications for both sexes were analyzed using the MTS. The classification rates of SC type for the Taeeumin (TE) and Soeumin (SE) types in male and female subjects were 81.15 and 74.54%, respectively. However, the SE type and Soyangin (SY) type were indistinguishable. This study shows that an analysis using the MTS based on body shape information, may be highly useful for classifications of the SE and TE types, but should not be used to distinguish the SE and SY types.

Keywords:

• Sasang constitution
• body shape
• Mahalanobis Taguchi system
• orthogonal array
• signal-to-noise ratio

Additional information

Funding

Funding. This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning [grant number 2006-2005175]; “The Development of Pattern Classification Technique for Identification of Syndrome Substance” [grant number K14130] funded by KM Health Technology Research Group of Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine.