Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Public Health 2251-6085 46 7 2017 06 25 869 876 Min MU Dept. of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui Province, China Li-Fa XU Dept. of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui Province, China Dong HU, Dept. of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui Province, China Jing WU Dept. of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui Province, China Ming-Jie BAI Dept. of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui Province, China 2017 06 25 2017 06 25 Background: Dietary patterns analysis may provide insights into the influence of overall diet on overweight/obesity. In the past two decades, the relation between dietary patterns and overweight/obesity has been a research focus and a number of results were reported in the research field. Methods: An electronic literature search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science, to identify human studies published by Mar 2015 and written in English. The following keywords or phrases were involved: dietary patterns, dietary pattern, factor analysis, principal component analysis, diet, obesity, adiposity, overweight and BMI. All the studies were retrieved and prudent/healthy (n=17) and western/unhealthy (n=18) dietary patterns were identified. Results: When compared with the lowest categories of a prudent/healthy dietary pattern, a reduced overweight/obesity risk was shown in the highest (OR=0.64; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.78; P<0.0001). While there was an increased overweight/obesity risk in the highest when compared with the lowest categories of a western/unhealthy dietary pattern (OR=1.65; 95% CI: 1.45, 1.87; P<0.0001). Conclusion: A prudent/healthy dietary pattern and limit intake of western/unhealthy dietary pattern should be followed, which helps to keep a healthy body mass. https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/10383 https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/download/10383/5786