The National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (Add Health) was mandated by Congress to collect data for the purpose of measuring the impact of social environment on adolescent health. It examines the general health and well-being of adolescents in the United States, including, with respect to these adolescents, (1) the behaviors that promote health and the behaviors that are detrimental to health; and (2) the influence on health of factors particular to the communities in which adolescents reside. Dependent variables include diet and nutrition, eating disorders, depression, violent behavior, intentional injury, unintentional injury, suicide, exercise, health service use, and health insurance coverage.

To better understand this transition, original Wave I respondents were re-interviewed between August 2001 and April 2002. At Wave III they were between 18 and 26 years of age. The emphasis in Wave III was on the multiple domains of young adult life that individuals enter during the transition to adulthood, and their well-being in these domains: labor market, higher education, relationships, parenting, community involvement. Data collected at Wave III will allow for diverse analyses across a spectrum of social, economic, and health-related outcomes.