| Sumario: | Aim: The period of adolescence (between ages 10 to 19) is characterized by a critical period of development and establishment of eating behaviors and preferences. Obesity and unhealthy eating remain important public health challenges among adolescents in Mississippi. This study seeks to uncover the major patterns of dietary habits in relation to physical activity of students using Association Rules Mining (ARM). Subject and methods: This is a cross-sectional, non-experimental study conducted at the Cleveland High School, located in Cleveland, Mississippi. Cluster analysis and Association Rules Mining (ARM) were used to identify dietary habits and physical activity behaviors that may be associated with being overweight. Results: Findings from cluster analysis and association rules mining (ARM) reveal that students have a combination of healthy and unhealthy food profiles, but students assigned to the second cluster tend to exercise more than others. Conclusion: It is imperative to broaden the implementation of and investment in effective health promotion to make students aware of the health implications associated with food consumption and eating patterns. Limiting exposure to fast food and sweetened, carbonated beverages could, therefore, have a large public health impact, especially among students who are overweight.
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