Journal of Health and Biomedical Informatics

Introduction: Nowadays, to obtain useful relationship between risk factors in diseases, data mining techniques are used. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between nutritional indices and obesity and components of metabolic syndrome using data mining approach.

Methods: In this correlational survey, 1019 adolescents (aged 11-18 years) were included and nutritional data were collected using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) and Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) were calculated. According to the values of metabolic syndrome components, a risk score was determined for each individual. Relationship between the variables was analyzed using linear regression.

Results: There was no significant relationship between DDS and components of metabolic syndrome and obesity. However, there was a significant but weak positive relationship between HEI and high waist (B=0.093, P=0.01165), body mass index (BMI) (B=0.309, P=0.022) and waist-to-height ratio (B=0.0006, P=0.005).

Conclusion: There was no relationship between DDS and risk of metabolic syndrome and obesity but there was a significant positive relationship between HEI and some components of metabolic syndrome and obesity. It seems that the relationship between nutritional indices in HEI and obesity indices should be assessed in HEI.