The nation's most comprehensive health and nutritional survey is coming to Santa Monica, offering randomly selected residents free health screenings while contributing to critical public health research.
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, known as NHANES, has selected Santa Monica as one of its study locations this year. About 500 households in the city will receive letters inviting them to participate in the survey, which has been tracking the health of Americans since 1960.
"NHANES serves as the nation's 'health check-up' by going into communities throughout the country to collect health information," said Brian C. Moyer, director of the National Center for Health Statistics.
Participation is voluntary and by invitation only. Residents who receive letters will be contacted by NHANES staff members to complete a brief survey determining household eligibility. Those who qualify will participate in a two-part process: an interview conducted at their home followed by a health examination at the NHANES Mobile Exam Center at a convenient time.
The mobile facility is specifically equipped to perform a wide range of health assessments, including height and weight measurements, blood pressure readings, body composition analysis, vision and hearing tests, oral health examinations and spirometry. The specific measurements and exams depend on each participant's age and sex.
Participants receive comprehensive health exams that include more tests than a typical routine checkup, along with free laboratory screening to check for exposure to harmful substances such as lead or mercury. They also receive detailed findings from their exams and lab tests, which they can review and share with their healthcare providers.
The survey offers compensation for transportation and childcare or adult care costs, along with tokens of appreciation for participants' time. All information collected is kept confidential, and individual privacy is protected by law.
NHANES is sponsored by the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program examines about 5,000 people across the country each year through a random, scientifically designed sampling process that represents the diversity of the U.S. population.
The survey's comprehensive approach — combining detailed interviews with physical examinations and laboratory tests — makes it unique among national health surveys. This methodology allows NHANES to gather data on a wide range of health conditions, including undiagnosed diseases, nutritional status and environmental exposures in the population.
The data collected plays a crucial role in shaping public health policy and research nationwide. Health officials and legislators use NHANES information to develop public health policies, measure disease prevalence and track health trends over time.
The survey has had significant impact on American public health. In the 1970s, NHANES provided the first clear evidence that Americans had dangerously high levels of lead in their blood, prompting Congress and federal agencies to phase out leaded gasoline and lead-based paint. By the 1990s, only about 4% of Americans had elevated blood lead levels, down from much higher proportions in the 1970s.
NHANES data also helps produce national baseline information such as blood pressure and cholesterol averages, and has been used to develop standardized growth charts used by physicians across the country. The survey's findings have shaped dietary guidelines and fortification programs in the U.S.
"Have you ever wondered how health care providers know what's considered a healthy blood pressure?" the CDC noted in announcing the Santa Monica survey. NHANES collects the broad range of data that addresses everything from environmental chemical exposures to tracking critical health concerns such as high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.
The program began in the early 1960s as a series of focused health surveys and evolved into a continuous annual survey in 1999. Over the past 60 years, thousands of Americans have participated in NHANES, building a comprehensive picture of the nation's health over time.
For many participants, the survey offers the possibility of discovering undiagnosed health conditions. NHANES exams have identified issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes that participants didn't know they had, allowing for early detection and treatment.
Selected Santa Monica residents should watch for invitation letters in the coming weeks. For more information about NHANES, visit www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/.