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Dataset
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The model is trained on the CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) dataset — an annual telephone survey collecting health-related data across the US.
CDC BRFSS Survey
Source
14 clinical variables
Features
Binary diabetes diagnosis
Target
Feature Reference
| Raw Name | Label | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| _BMI5 | BMI | Continuous | Body mass index (weight/height²) |
| _AGE80 | Age | Ordinal | Age category 1–13 (18–24 to 80+) |
| SEXVAR | Sex | Binary | Biological sex (1=Male, 2=Female) |
| _IMPRACE | Race/Ethnicity | Nominal | Race/ethnicity category 1–6 |
| GENHLTH | General Health | Ordinal | Self-rated health 1 (Excellent) to 5 (Poor) |
| PHYSHLTH | Physical Health Days | Continuous | Days of poor physical health in past 30 |
| SMOKE100 | Smoking | Binary | Smoked 100+ cigarettes in lifetime (1=Yes, 2=No) |
| _TOTINDA | Physical Activity | Binary | Any physical activity in past 30 days (1=Yes, 2=No) |
| EDUCA | Education Level | Ordinal | Highest education level 1–6 |
| INCOME3 | Income Level | Ordinal | Annual household income 1–11 |
| _RFHYPE6 | Hypertension | Binary | Told have high blood pressure (1=No, 2=Yes) |
| _RFCHOL3 | High Cholesterol | Binary | Told cholesterol is high (1=No, 2=Yes) |
| CHCKDNY2 | Kidney Disease | Binary | Told have kidney disease (1=No, 2=Yes) |
| _MICHD | Heart Disease | Binary | Heart disease or heart attack (0=No, 1=Yes) |
Ethics & Limitations
- →Data is self-reported — subject to recall and social desirability bias.
- →BRFSS over-represents certain demographics; model may not generalise equally across all populations.
- →Diabetes diagnosis in the dataset is self-reported, not laboratory-confirmed.
- →Socioeconomic features (income, education) are included as legitimate risk factors but require careful interpretation in SHAP analysis.