Health of Adults in Los Angeles County: Findings From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2004

National survey data based on direct physical measurements are important to benchmark the nation’s health and track progress toward meeting the nation’s health objectives (1). Comparable health data are needed at the local level so that public health agencies can monitor the health status of their community and track health improvement efforts (2).
Los Angeles County is the largest county in the United States in population size and comprises one of the most diverse populations in the world (3). Of the county’s population, 36% is foreign-born, with more than one-third of these having moved to Los Angeles after 1985 and one in two households speaking a language other than English at home. This tremendous diversity makes it difficult to extrapolate national data to the county level. Local health data create more interest among community policymakers, organizations, and the public, and are necessary for monitoring disease burden to identify local health problems and disparities, inform local policies and programs, and allocate scarce public health resources.