| **National Center    for     Health Statistics            Division of Data     Services            6525 Belcrest Road     Hyattsville, MD     20782-2003     (301)458-4636      **

 
 

 

 

 

 
**National    Health and Nutrition Examination Survey****NHANES Home | Participant | Background | Research Activities    | Health Professionals | Growth Charts | Search NCHS | Contact    Us**Background
**History**    The National Health Survey Act, 1956, provided the legislation authorizing for a    continuing survey to provide current statistical data on the amount, distribution, and    effects of illness and disability in the United States. NHANES was created to fulfill the    purpose of this act. The current NHANES is the eighth in a series of national examination    studies conducted in the United States since 1960.

**Goals**NHANES is designed to collect information    about the health and diet of people in the United States. These data are used to fulfill    specific goals.

**Data    Accomplishments**NHANES data have been used to influence    policy and improve the health of the U.S. population in many ways.

**Current    NHANES on into the 21st Century**The current NHANES began in April 1999 and    will be a continuous survey visiting 15 U.S. locations a year. We will survey    approximately 5,000 people annually.

 

**NHANES Home | Participant | Background | Research Activities    | Health Professionals       | Growth Charts | Search NCHS | Contact    Us**
**CDC Home | Search    | Health Topics A-Z**
This page last reviewed March 17, 2000

**U.S.    DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES****Centers    for Disease Control and Prevention**    National Center for Health Statistics    Division of Data Services     Hyattsville, MD    20782-2003    (301) 458-4636
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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