Survey
description The second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES II, is a
nationwide probability sample of 27,801 persons from 6 months 74 years of age. From this
sample, 25,286 people were interviewed and 20,322 people were examined, resulting in an
overall response rate of 73 percent. Because children and persons classified as living at
or below the poverty level were assumed to be at special risk of having nutritional
problems, they were sampled at rates substantially higher than their proportions in the
general population. Adjusted sampling weights were computed within 76 age-sex income
groups in order to inflate the sample to closely reflect the target population at the
midpoint of the survey.
Data file description
Data tapes from NHANES II are organized by subject matter. The data files comprising
the NHANES II include a number of demographic and socioeconomic variables on each tape
including age, gender, race, ethnicity, income, education, and marital status.
List of data
file variables at a glance Allergy skin
testing, ages 6-74 years (Tape No. 5309)
Demographic characteristics and allergy skin testing data for all examined persons. Skin
tests were given to determine the number of positive reactions to eight allergens (house
dust, Alternaria, cat, dog, ragweed, oak, rye grass, and Bermuda grass), one diluent, and
one histamine. For positive reactions, the type and size of the reaction were recorded.
Anthropometric
data, ages 6 months-74 years
(Tape No. 5301) Demographic characteristics. Height, weight, bitrochanteric breadth, elbow
breadth, upper arm girth, triceps skinfold, subscapular skinfold, and handedness on
examined sample persons. Chest circumference, head circumference, sitting height,
crown-rump and recumbent length for selected subpopulations.
Audiometric air
conduction test, ages 4-19 years
(Tape No. 5306) Demographic characteristics and audiometric data. Hearing threshold levels were
determined by pure tone audiometry. Included in the testing were 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, 2,000
Hz, and 4,000 Hz for left and right ear.
Behavior
questionnaire, ages 25-74 years (Tape No. 5317) Demographic characteristics and questionnaire data on behavior and physical
activity. The questionnaire was designed to elicit data on behavior possibly associated
with coronary heart disease.
Chest x-ray
examination, ages 25-74 years (Tape No. 5252) Demographic characteristics, measurements of heart size, and pathology readings.
Health history
supplement, ages 12-74 years
(Tape No. 5305) Demographic characteristics, health history, and blood pressure data for persons
who were both interviewed and examined. Health history items covered for persons over age
25 are cardiovascular, respiratory, and joint pain data including back disk and neck
questions. Covered for persons 12 74 years are pesticide use, jaundice, chronic kidney
disease, bowel problems, reproductive history, and disability data.
Hematology and
biochemistry, ages 6 months-74 years (Tape No. 5411, Version 2) Demographic characteristics and selected hematologic and biochemical blood
findings. The determinations include hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell count, white
blood cell count, serum iron, serum albumin, serum vitamin C, serum zinc, serum copper,
serum vitamin A, erythrocyte protoporphyrin lead, and carboxyhemoglobin. This version also
includes determination of serum lipids, oral glucose challenge results, serum ferritin
results, red blood cells folate, serum B12, differential white blood cell counts, serum
creatinine, urine multistix test results, and bile acid data.
Medical history,
ages 6 months-11 years (Tape No. 5010) Demographic characteristics for 5,843 examined sample persons ages 6 months 11
years. Also included are 996 additional children who were given the medical history
interview but did not participate in the examination phase of the survey. Medical history
topics for this age group include health status, birth weight, infant feeding practices,
congenital anomalies, hospitalization, pica, allergies, kidney and urinary problems,
hearing and speech problems and treatment, respiratory conditions, and blood pressure
readings for sample persons over 6 years old. Also included is information on parental
height and weight and school lunch program participation.
Medical history,
ages 12-74 years (Tape No. 5020) Demographic characteristics for 14,479 examined sample persons ages 12-74 years.
Also included are 3,968 additional persons who received the medical history interview but
refused to participate in the examination phase of the survey. Medical history topics
include health status, use of certain medications, hospitalization, tuberculosis, eating
problems, previously diagnosed chronic conditions, anemia, pica, special diets, smoking,
coffee and tea consumption, physical activity, weight history, and self-perception of
height and weight, visual disability, diabetes, respiratory conditions, itching, appetite
loss, kidney and urinary problems, allergies, hypertension, cardiovascular conditions,
stroke, back and joint problems, health-related job changes, and food stamp program
participation.
Model gram and
nutrient composition (Tape Nos. 5702 and 5703) The model gram tape contains 2,605 food items with food groupings, food codes,
alphanumeric descriptions, preferred model codes, and gram conversion factors. The
nutrient composition tape contains the actual nutrient analyses in 100-gram edible
portions of all foods listed in the model gram tape. These tapes are essentially an
interpretive tool used as input to a computer analysis of NHANES II 24-Hour Recall dietary
data, or for use in another survey employing methodology similar to that used in NHANES
II.
Physician's
examination, ages 6 months 74 years (Tape No. 5302) Demographic characteristics, physical examination including findings related to
hearing, the thyroid gland, and the cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, and
musculoskeletal systems.
Total nutrient
intake, food frequency, and other related dietary data, ages 6 months-74 years (Tape No.
5701)
Demographic characteristics for
examined sampled persons and (1) the total amounts of calories, protein, fat, total
carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, vitamin A, thiamine,
riboflavin, preformed niacin, vitamin C, saturated fatty acids, oleic acid, linoleic acid,
and cholesterol consumed by each examined person; (2) the reported frequencies of
consumption of foods from 18 food groups over a 3-month reference period; and (3) other
dietary information related to food consumption habits, such as vitamin-mineral usage and
special diets.
24-hour recall
specific food item, ages 6 months-74 years (Tape No. 5704) Demographic characteristics for 20,322 examined sample persons. A separate record
for each food item consumed by each person with the amounts of calories, protein, fat,
total carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, vitamin C, saturated
fatty acids, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and cholesterol contained In those foods. Also
ingestion period, approximate time of consumption, and food source are given for each food
item.
Model gram and nutrient composition (Tape No.
5702)
450
4,050
2,724
Model gram and nutrient composition (Tape No.
5703)
150
4,050
1,605
Physician's examination, ages 6 months-74 years
(Tape No. 5302)
900
24,300
20,322
Total nutrient intake, food frequency, and other
related dietary data, ages 6 months-74 years (Tape No. 5701)
800
3,200
20,322
24-hour recall specific food item, ages 6
months-74 years (Tape No. 5704)
550
22,000
347,925
Geographic
coverage
The NHANES II includes the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population 6 months-74 years
of age.
Data
availability
All data tapes available from NHANES II contain data collected over the entire course of
the survey, February 1976 February 1980.A cohort study of
approximately 28,000 participants was conducted in 1992. Other studies related to this
survey are HHANES, NHANES I, NHANES III and NHES, Cycle 1, Cycle
2, and Cycle 3.
Ordering
information Data tapes from the
HHANES can only be purchased through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). The NTIS order numbers and prices are
as follows:
Data on tape
Title
NTIS
Order no.
Price
Allergy skin testing, ages 6-74 years (Tape No.
5309)
PB86-121613
$265.00
Anthropometric data, ages 6 months-74 years
(Tape No. 5301)
PB82-191917
265.00
Audiometric air conduction test, ages 4-19 years
(Tape No. 5306)
PB85-153609
265.00
Behavior questionnaire, ages 25-74 years (Tape
No. 5317)
PB90-501578
265.00
Chest x-ray examination, ages 25-74 years (Tape
No. 5252)
PB89-136667
265.00
Hematology and biochemistry, ages 6 months-74
years (Tape No. 5411, Version 2)
PB90-500943
265.00
Medical history, ages 6 months-11 years (Tape
No. 5010)
PB83-215616
265.00
Medical history, ages 12-74 years (Tape No.
5020)
PB83-154815
265.00
Physician's examination, ages 6 months-74 years
(Tape No. 5302)
PB86-242930
265.00
Total nutrient intake, food frequency, and other
related dietary data, ages 6 months-74 years (Tape No. 5701)
PB82-168261
265.00
24-hour recall specific food item, ages 6
months-74 years (Tape No. 5704)
PB82-142639
645.00
Documentation
contents Data tape documentation includes general notes on the specific subject matter of the
tape and brief statements about the use of NHANES II data, including discussion of
possible sources of error, use of sampling weights, and variance estimation procedures.
Detailed notes are provided to explain certain items included on the tape which are not
self-explanatory or documented elsewhere.
Related reports
A detailed description of the design and operation of NHANES II is provided in Vital
and Health Statistics, Series
1, No. 15. The rationale and purpose for the inclusion of each component of
the survey and a description of the sampling plan are discussed in this report. The data
collection instruments used are exhibited in an appendix to the report. Some reports that
contain results from NHANES II are Vital and Health Statistics, Series 11, Nos. 231-238;
and Advance Data, Nos. 76, 79, and
84.
Contacts
For publications and electronic data products from NHANES: call (301) 458-4636 or NTIS or
GPO.
Technical questions about
the file contact:
Division of Health Examination Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Health Statistics
3311 Toledo Road
Hyattsville, Maryland 20782-2003
(301) 458-4567