The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) is the seventh in a series of national
examination studies conducted in the United States beginning in 1960. Three of these studies, the National Health
Examination Surveys (NHES) were conducted in the 1960's. Beginning in 1970 a large nutrition component was added to
the basic design, and the name was changed to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). A
special study of Hispanic populations in the United States was conducted in 1982-84, Hispanic Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey, (HHANES). These studies have contributed to our knowledge of public health in the United States
and have contributed to the formulation and conduct of public health policy.
The sample for the NHANES III was selected from households in 81 counties across the United States. The survey period
is 1988-1994, consisting of two phases of equal length and sample size. Both Phase 1 and Phase 2 comprise random
samples of the U.S. population living in households. About 40,000 persons 2 months of age and over were selected and
asked to complete an extensive interview and an examination in a large mobile examination center.
The NHANES III Household Youth Data File contains all data collected during the household interviews for children and
youths 2 months to 16 years of age. Demographic data, survey design variables, and sampling weights for this age
group are also included. The data that comprise this file were obtained from three separate interviews administered
in the household: the Screener, the Family, and Household Youth questionnaires.
*All dataset orders include Raw Data, SPSS Program Statements, SAS Program Statements, an SPSS portable file, machine-readable versions of the codebooks and instruments when available and a User's Guide. Codebooks, Instruments, and additional User's Guides can also be purchased separately. CD-ROM orders may be purchased WITH or WITHOUT search and retrieval and extract software. The search and retrieval and extract software permits the user to search through the Data Set contents of the CD-ROM and create extract command files in SPSS or SAS.