The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collects, analyzes, and disseminates data on the health status of U.S. residents. The results of surveys, analyses, and studies are made known through a number of data release mechanisms including publications, mainframe computer data files, CD-ROMs (Search and Retrieval Software, Statistical Export and Tabulation System (SETS)), and the Internet (http://www.cdc.gov/nchswww/nchshome.htm). The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a periodic survey conducted by NCHS. The third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), conducted from 1988 through 1994, was the seventh in a series of these surveys based on a complex, multi-stage sample plan. It was designed to provide national estimates of the health and nutritional status of the United States' civilian, noninstitutionalized population aged two months and older. Data from NHANES III are being released in five public release data files: NHANES III Household Adult Data File (Catalog Number 77560) NHANES III Household Youth Data File (Catalog Number 77550) NHANES III Examination Data File (Catalog Number 76200) NHANES III Laboratory Data File (Catalog Number 76300) NHANES III Dietary Recall Data Files (Catalog Number 76700) A table showing the location of the interview and examination components in the five NHANES III public release data files follows. Location of the interview and examination components in the five NHANES III public release data files Data File Topic ] HA ] HY ] EXAM ] LAB ] DIET ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Sample weights ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Age/race/sex ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Ethnic background ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Household composition ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Individual characteristics ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Health insurance ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Family background ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Occupation of family head ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Housing characteristics ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Family characteristics ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Orientation ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Health services ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Selected health conditions ] X ] X ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Diabetes questions ] X ] . ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ High blood pressure and ] X ] . ] . ] . ] . ] cholesterol questions ] ] ] ] ] ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Cardiovascular disease questions ] X ] . ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Musculoskeletal conditions ] X ] . ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Physical functioning questions ] X ] . ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Gallbladder disease questions ] X ] . ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Location of the interview and examination components in the five NHANES III public release data files (continued) Data File Topic ] HA ] HY ] EXAM ] LAB ] DIET ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Kidney conditions ] X ] . ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Respiratory and allergy questions ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Diet questions ] X ] . ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Food frequency ] X ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Vision questions ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Hearing questions ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Dental care and status ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Tobacco ] X ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Occupation ] X ] . ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Language usage ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Exercise ] X ] . ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Social support/residence ] X ] . ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Vitamin/mineral/medicine usage ] X ] X ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Blood pressure measurement ] X ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Birth ] . ] X ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Infant feeding practices/diet ] . ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Motor and social development ] . ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Functional impairment ] X ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ School attendance ] . ] X ] . ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Cognitive function ] . ] X ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Location of the interview and examination components in the five NHANES III public release data files (continued) Data File Topic ] HA ] HY ] EXAM ] LAB ] DIET ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Alcohol and drug use ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Reproductive health ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Diagnostic interview schedule ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Activity ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Physician's examination ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Height and weight ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Body measurements ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Dental examination ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Allergy skin test ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Audiometry ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Tympanometry ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ WISC and WRAT ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Spirometry ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Bone densitometry ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Gallbladder ultrasonography ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Central nervous system ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] function evaluation ] ] ] ] ] ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Fundus photography ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Physical function evaluation ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Fasting questions ] . ] . ] . ] X ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Location of the interview and examination components in the five NHANES III public release data files (continued) Data File Topic ] HA ] HY ] EXAM ] LAB ] DIET ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Laboratory tests on blood and urine ] . ] . ] . ] X ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Total nutrient intakes ] . ] . ] X ] . ] . ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Individual foods ] . ] . ] . ] . ] X ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Combination foods ] . ] . ] . ] . ] X ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Ingredients ] . ] . ] . ] . ] X ] -----------------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+ Data File Definitions HA - Household Adult Data File HY - Household Youth Data File EXAM - Examination Data File LAB - Laboratory Data File DIET - Dietary Recall Data Files This document includes the documentation for the NHANES III Examination Data File and also contains a general overview of the survey and the use of the data files. The general overview includes five sections. The first section, entitled "Guidelines for Data Users," contains important information about the use of the data files. The second section, "Survey Description," is a brief overview of the survey plan and operation. The third section, "Sample Design and Analysis Guidelines," describes some technical aspects of the sampling plan and discusses some analytic issues particularly related to the use of data from complex sample surveys. The "Data Preparation and Processing Procedures" section describes the editing conventions and the codes used to represent the data. The last and fifth section, "General References," includes a reference list for the survey overview sections of the document. Public Use Data Files for the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey will also be available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). A list of NCHS public use data tapes available for purchase from NTIS may be obtained from the Data Dissemination Branch at NCHS. Information regarding a bibliography (on disk) of journal articles citing data from all the NHANES and the availability of NHANES III data in CD-ROM/SETS software format can be obtained from the Data Dissemination Branch(301-436-8500) or by writing to: Data Dissemination Branch National Center for Health Statistics Room 1018 6525 Belcrest Road Hyattsville, Maryland 20782 NTIS can be contacted at: NTIS - Computer Products Office 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, Virginia 22161 (703) 487-4807 Copies of all NHANES III questionnaires and data collection forms are included in the Plan and Operation of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-94 (NCHS, 1994; U.S. DHHS, 1996). This publication, along with detailed information on NHANES procedures, interviewing, data collection, quality control techniques, survey design, nonresponse, and sample weighting can be found on the NHANES III Reference Manuals and Reports CD-ROM (U.S. DHHS, 1996). Information on how to order this CD-ROM is available from the Data Dissemination Branch at NCHS at the address and telephone number given above.