National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

DESCRIPTION: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a survey that combines interviews and physical examinations to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. These surveys were initially conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) on a periodic basis from 1971 to 1994. However in 1999 in response to changes in health and nutrition concerns the survey has been conducted annually using 5000 participants living in 15 counties across the country. The sample for the survey is selected to represent the United States population of all ages. The data includes measures of the prevalence of chronic conditions in the population. Estimates for previously undiagnosed conditions, as well as those known to and reported by survey respondents, are produced through the survey. Data on lifestyle risk factors such as environmental exposures, smoking, alcohol consumption, sexual practices, drug use, physical fitness and activity, weight, and dietary intake are collected. Information on certain aspects of reproductive health, such as use of oral contraceptives and breastfeeding practices, are also collected. The diseases, medical conditions, and health indicators that are studied include: anemia, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and lower extremity disease, equilibrium, hearing loss, infectious diseases and immunization, kidney disease, mental health and cognitive functioning, obesity, oral health, osteoporosis, respiratory disease (asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema), sexually transmitted diseases, skin diseases, and vision.

CODEBOOKS: Codebooks for all waves of the NHANES can be obtained from the NCHS website (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/nhanes_questionnaires.htm). The codebooks for the NHANES III are available on the local area network (R:\CFDR\Public\Data\NHANES).

DATA: The most recent wave conducted in 2007-2008 is available from NCHS (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/nhanes_questionnaires.htm). The third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), conducted in 1988-1994 is available on the local area network.

WEBLINKS: Additional information about the study is available at the NCHS website (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes.htm).