Background:Food is the basic human need and healthy diet is the foundation for good health. However unhealthy dietary practices are one of the leading risks for non-communicable diseases (NCD), a major health challenge worldwide. This study aimed to assess the diet quality (DQ) concerning the cardio-metabolic risk status among adult individuals in the community. Methodology:A community-based cross-sectional survey to assess the prevalence of NCD risk factors and diet quality was conducted over two months among individuals aged 30 years and above without a history of diabetes mellitus and/or hypertension. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and diet quality was assessed using a validated tool Short-Healthy-Eating-Index (sHEI). Statistical analysis such as descriptive statistics and odds ratio were computed at a 5% significance level. Cluster analysis was done by Scree plot and K-means clustering technique. Results:The study included 378 eligible survey respondents, of whom about 87% exhibited at least one cardio-metabolic risk manifestation. Good DQ significantly reduced the odds of being overweight (P = 0.038) and obesity (P = < 0.001), whereas high intake of vegetables 10 times significantly reduced the odds of high central adiposity (P = < 0.001). Good whole grains intake and limiting dietary sodium significantly reduced the odds of hypertension. The cluster analysis revealed that those clusters with low DQ scores displayed a higher risk of obesity, central adiposity and elevated blood pressure. Conclusion:The current study highlighted the strong impact of diet on cardiovascular and metabolic risk indicating the urgent need to promote healthy diet at the community level.