Anthropometric Reference Data for Children and Adults: United States, 2003–2006

National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) are conducted by the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). NHANES data are the primary source of body measurement and related health and nutrition data for the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population. Surveys were conducted on a periodic basis from 1960 to 1994. NHANES became a continuous survey in 1999. Each of the continuous NHANES annual survey samples is nationally representative; 2 or more years of data are required for subgroup analyses (2). NHANES 1999–2006 data were released publicly in four data sets, each one spanning 2 years (1999–2000, 2001– 2002, 2003–2004, and 2005–2006) (3–5). A combined 4-year dataset based on 2003–2004 and 2005–2006 data was used for this report to improve the stability and reliability of the statistical estimates (4–5). Additional 2-year data sets will be released in the future as more data become available.