The China Health and Nutrition Survey (HNS) examines the nutritional and health status of the population, and it collected social, economic and demographic data. In 2011, the survey used a multistage, random cluster process and selected 216 neighborhoods in nine Chinese provinces. While not nationally representative, the provinces selected were chosen to provide significant variation in geography, health indicators, and economic development.  The survey is made up of six components: a household interview, an adult interview, a child interview, a dietary interview, a boy maturation interview, and a community survey. Community survey data came from official records and interviews with neighborhood officials. The adult and child interviews included anthropometric measurements and blood tests. The HNS has occurred every two to four years since 1989.

The Carolina Population Center released this survey data as a longitudinal dataset covering 1989 to 2011.