en public specific orginal article <strong>Background</strong>: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex disorder considered as a worldwide epidemic. The aim of this study was to characterize the dietary patterns of Iranian adults and examine its association with metabolic syndrome. <strong>Methods</strong>: In this cross-sectional study, 973 persons were selected using multi-stage cluster, random sampling method in Khorramabad city. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated, 168 food-item, self-administrated, and semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). To identify the dietary patterns, factor analysis was used for principal components. <strong>Results</strong>: Three major dietary patterns were identified: the western dietary pattern (WDP), the healthy dietary pattern (HDP), and the traditional dietary pattern (TDP). Participants in the highest quintile of HDP had lower odds of MetS (OR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.27-0.77) than those in the lowest quintile, whereas those in the highest quintile of the WDP score had greater odds of the MetS (OR: 3.44; 95% CI: 2.08-5.70) than participants of the lowest quintile. Multi linear regression showed that the WDP score was associated negatively with serum high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and positively with other components of MetS. Even after body mass index adjustment, the association remained significant, except for fasting plasma insulin. <strong>Conclusions</strong>: a HDP is associated with reduced risk of MetS. In contrast, a WDP is associated with a greater risk of the MetS. Metabolic syndrome, Obesity, Dietary pattern, Body mass index 201 212 http://jnfs.ssu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-25&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Ebrahim Falahi No Nutrition Health Research Center, School of Public Health and Nutrition, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran Khatere Anbari No Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran Farzad Ebrahimzadeh No Department of Public Health, School of Public Health and Nutrition, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran Sajjad Roosta Yes School of Health and Nutrition, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran