What to Expect

Key points

  • The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) assesses the health and nutritional status of U.S. adults and children.
  • A survey representative will visit your home to invite you to participate in NHANES.
  • Participating involves answering health questions and visiting our mobile exam center for health and lab tests.
Young black mom and toddler. Toddler holds a stethoscope to an Asian provider's chest.

Congratulations!

You have been invited to take part in NHANES.

We used a scientific process to select your household randomly from addresses in your area. You should have received a letter introducing the survey and inviting you to participate.

You choose whether to take part in NHANES. You choose whether to allow your child take part too, if they are eligible. At any time, you can choose not to answer a question, refuse an exam, or stop participating in the survey. There is no penalty for not participating, skipping a part of the survey, or stopping the survey.

Note

The National Center for Health Statistics works with RTI International to conduct NHANES. A field interviewer from RTI will contact you on behalf of NHANES.

Health and dietary interviews

If you choose to participate, your NHANES field interviewer will schedule your health interview at a time that is convenient for you. It can be during the weekend or weekday, daytime or evening. It can take place in your home or somewhere else if you choose.

The NHANES health interview covers a wide road range of topics related to your health. It includes questions about your current and past medical conditions and your access to health care. It will take about an hour to complete the interview.

At the end of the health interview, your field interviewer will schedule your free health exam at the NHANES mobile exam center and your telephone dietary interview to ask about the food you eat. You also will receive more information about the dietary interviews at this time.

Mobile exam center visit

Participants of different ages and genders have different exams. Highly trained health professionals conduct all exams.

Your exam may include—

  • Height, weight, and other body measures
  • Blood pressure reading
  • Dental exam
  • Vision and hearing tests
  • Laboratory tests for kidney and liver health, and exposures to chemicals in the environment

Test results

You will get results from your health exam and laboratory tests of your urine and blood samples. You will get some results right away. The rest of your results should arrive 12–16 weeks after your exam. You can share these results with your healthcare provider.

Your results may include—

  • Complete blood count, a test that assesses your overall health
  • Cholesterol level
  • Blood sugar (glucose) level
  • Nutrient levels in your body, including folate and Vitamin D
  • Kidney and liver function
  • Infectious diseases
  • Exposures to chemicals in the environment

Your data and results are private and confidential. Only you can choose to share your results with others.

Data spotlight

View Larger
Image of clogged artery. Text says 11.3% of adults had high total cholesterol during August 2021–August 2023.
10.6% of men had high total cholesterol, while 11.9% of women did.
Keep Reading: Total and High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023

Contact

We welcome your questions and suggestions.

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
National Center for Health Statistics
3311 Toledo Rd
Room 3170
Hyattsville, MD 20782-2064

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Content Source:
National Center for Health Statistics