Dietary information has been collected in NHANES since the 1970s. Researchers and policymakers rely on NHANES data for detailed information about the foods and beverages that are consumed by the U.S. population. In addition to providing important national reference data on food and nutrient intakes that are obtained on all survey participants, the data help us to learn about food patterns of ethnic subgroups, the adequacy of diets consumed by young children and older persons, and the contribution of food to total nutrient intakes. Total nutrient intakes from food and dietary supplements can...

The laboratory component of NHANES includes the collection, processing, storage, and shipping of blood, urine, and other biological and environmental specimens. Collectively, these specimens provide data about the health status of the U.S. population. The blood collection (venipuncture) procedure consists of (1) administering a questionnaire to screen for conditions that exclude the participant from the blood draw; (2) determining fasting status; and (3) performing a blood draw. The phlebotomist also collects one additional blood tube from SPs selected for the VOC (volatile organic compounds)...

The objective of the NHANES dermatology component is to assess the prevalence of psoriasis, hand dermatitis, and a skin type descriptor (Fitzpatrick skin type) in the U.S. adult household population. There are major gaps in knowledge about the frequency, impact, etiology, and prevention of most skin diseases. Skin diseases are a frequent cause of disability, discomfort, disfigurement, and expense to the United States population. An estimated one in three Americans has a skin condition at any one time serious enough to warrant a visit to a physician. Although there are some variations, these...

In October 2008, the Federal Government issued its first-ever Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans to provide science-based guidance on the types and amounts of physical activity that provide substantial health benefits for Americans. The Guidelines recommend that adults complete muscle strengthening activities in conjunction with general recommendations to obtain 150 minutes or more of physical activity. Similar guidelines exist for school-age children. Muscle strength refers to the maximum force that can be generated by a specific muscle or muscle group. Recent studies indicate that...

Because of the increasing occurrence of diabetes in younger ages, NHANES added this component to the examination protocol to reassess the prevalence of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in the U.S. population. Diabetes is a large, growing, and costly public health problem in the United States and disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities. About 17 million Americans have diabetes and more than 1 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed each year. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, nontraumatic lower extremity amputation, and blindness in working-age...

Nutrition is a major determinant of health, and the resolution of many nutritional issues of public health concern requires survey data. One of the major aims of NHANES is to provide information useful for studying the relationship among diet, nutritional status, and health. In addition to dietary intake methodologies, questionnaire material, hematological tests, and nutritional biochemistries, the assessment of nutritional status requires a series of stature, weight, and other anthropometric dimensions. Anthropometry is the study of the measurement of the human body in terms of the...

The Allergen Dust Collection Study is a follow-up study of persons who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Survey sponsored by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). This chapter provides a general description of the health examination surveys conducted by NCHS and the ongoing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). This NHANES is the eighth in a series of national examination studies conducted in the United States since the early 1960s. The surveys are unique in that interview and physical examination data are obtained from national samples of the...

Hearing is important. It is the sensory channel by which we are connected to other people, warned of impending dangers, and entertained by music and laughter. Good hearing enables us to perceive the laughter of friends, the cries of a baby, and the breeze rustling through the trees. Without it, we feel isolated from the world around us and frustrated by our inability to fully understand the flurry of activity that surrounds us. Man is a social creature, and hearing is critical to his ability to function as such. Hearing loss is a widespread problem. More than 36 million people in the United...

Accurate measurement of blood pressure (BP) is a major public health concern; it is essential for hypertension screening, as well as for disease management. In the period of 2005-2006, 29 percent of the U.S. adult population was hypertensive or taking medication for hypertension. Blood pressure has been measured with the mercury sphygmomanometer for many years but with new technologies available, alternative blood pressure devices have taken center stage. The rapid pace of the development of automated sphygmomanometers with improving accuracy and reliability combined with increasing...

Cardiovascular disease is currently the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. A sedentary lifestyle (along with elevated blood cholesterol levels, hypertension, and smoking) is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. According to current data however, only about 24 percent of American adults currently meet the physical activity recommendations outlined in the 1996 Surgeon General's Report. In previous versions of NHANES, no direct cardiovascular fitness assessment components have been included in the data collection. A cardiovascular fitness...