The United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NHANES, is a program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children across the country, and is a major program for the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The NHANES program began in the early 1960s and has been conducted as a series of surveys focusing on different population groups or health topics; An Hispanic HANES was conducted from 1982-1984, focusing on Hispanic populations in select geographic areas around the country. In 1999, the survey became a continuous program that has had a changing focus on a variety of health and nutrition measurements to meet emerging needs.
The survey uniquely combines both interviews and physical examinations in its methodology, and examines a nationally representative sample of about 5,000 persons each year. The NHANES interview includes demographic, socioeconomic, dietary, and health-related questions. The examination component consists of medical, dental, and physiological measurements, as well as laboratory tests administered by trained medical personnel. Findings from the survey are used to determine the prevalence of major diseases and their risk factors, as well as to assess nutritional status in association with health promotion and disease prevention. The survey findings are also the basis for national standards in measurements of height, weight, and blood pressure.
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