Table 1 Food groups using for dietary pattern analysis and factor loadings for each of the identified dietary patterns^a

Fruits

Different kinds of fresh fruits, dry fruits, natural fruit juice, fruit conserves, industrial juice

0.63

–

–

Vegetables

Yellow, green leafy, and all other types of vegetables

0.61

–

–

Egg

Eggs

0.60

–

–

Whole grains

Dark Iranian bread (e.g., barbari, sangak, taftun), cooked potato, barely

0.56

–

–

Nuts and seeds

Walnuts, peanuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, seeds

0.43

–

–

Meat

Beef, lamb and all type of organ meats

0.39

–

–

Poultry

Chicken

0.35

–

–

Solid oils

Hydrogenated vegetable oil, animal oil, margarine, butter, mayonnaise

–

0.60

–

Sweets

Confectionary products, sugar, jam, honey, candy

–

0.49

–

Caffeine

Tea, coffee, chocolate, cacao

–

0.47

–

Legumes

Different kinds of beans, peas, and lentil

–

0.46

–

Refined grains

White bread including lavash, baguette, rice, pasta, vermicelli, cake, and biscuits

–

0.41

–

Healthy oils

Vegetable oils, olive

–

−0.50

–

Fast foods and snacks

Pizza, potato chips, French fries, cheese snacks

–

–

0.76

Processed meat

Sausage, hamburger, other

–

–

0.72

Fish

All types of fish, canned tuna

–

–

0.53

Cola

All types of cola drinks

–

–

0.52

Condiment

Seasoning, salt, ketchup, lime juice

–

–

0.43

Dairy

All type of milk, yoghurt, cheese, ice cream, dough, curd

–

–

0.38

Vegetable pickles

All types of vegetable pickles

–

–

0.30