Which public health surveillance system is designed to assess health and nutrition status in the population?

• A. BRFSS
• B. NHANES
• C. BRFSS and NHANES together
• D. None of the above

Answer: (B)

NHANES is designed to assess health and nutrition status in the population. It gathers data from a representative sample through interviews, physical examinations, and laboratory tests, including dietary intake assessments and biomarker measurements. This mix provides objective information on nutritional status (nutrient levels, deficiencies, anthropometrics) alongside general health indicators, enabling accurate estimates of how the population is faring nutritionally. BRFSS, on the other hand, collects self-reported health behaviors and conditions via a telephone survey, which is useful for risk factors but doesn’t provide the objective nutrition measurements NHANES does. So for directly assessing health and nutrition status, NHANES is the most appropriate system.