Extraction of Key Factors to Determining the Acceptability of Diet Therapy Based on Syndrome Differentiation of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Abstract

Purpose: Extract key factors to determining the acceptability of diet therapy based on syndrome differentiation of Traditional Chinese Medicine for middle-aged and elderly people and propose some suggestions to improve their acceptance of it. Method: Thirteen main influencing factors are selected from literature survey and interviews. Semi-structured interview are conducted with Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory questionnaires to evaluate factors’ interrelationship. Results: The understandability and the memorability of medicinal food’s knowledge, the type of medicinal food and the popularity of medicinal food’s knowledge are key influencing factors. Suggestions: Pre-research of people’s taste preferences is important and necessary; the identity of propagandist and the source of propaganda content should be transparent and the organization of publicity activities should be normalized; concise and multi-sensory propagation mode should be adopted; “Medicinal Virtue Association” can be used to reduce the difficulty of memorizing knowledge.

Keywords: TCM, Diet Therapy Based on Syndrome Differentiation, DEMATEL Approach

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1002033