Unlocking insights into America’s health through comprehensive analysis of
data across demographics and lifestyles.
(The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey)
Introduction
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a continuous, cross-sectional survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States.
The survey, which consists of interviews, physical examinations, and laboratory tests, collects a broad range of health data. This includes demographic information, dietary habits, health questions, medical and dental exams, and physiological measurements. The findings are used to determine the prevalence of major diseases, assess nutritional status, and establish national standards for measurements like height, weight, and blood pressure. NHANES data is widely used by government agencies, universities, researchers, clinicians, and industry to inform health policies and research.
Objective
To analyse the basic health checks and identify trends in laboratory, examination and dietary data in the population aged over 55 based on gender and race. This study provides researchers with data-driven insights into the health concerns of the ageing demographic, enabling informed decisions that directly impact their well-being. It also contributes to public awareness of health issues among the elderly, encouraging proactive health maintenance and informed lifestyle choices.
Methodology
- Data Preparation: Leveraging NHANES files encompassing demographics, laboratory data, examination data, and dietary information.
- Analysis: Utilizing weighted mean calculation and data segmentation techniques to produce representative health indicator estimates.
- Visualization: Creating visual representations to illustrate health indicators’ variations by age, gender, and race/ethnicity among individuals aged 55 and above.
Workflow
Results
Blood Pressure Visualization – Gender and Age
- Males tend to have higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) values compared to females across all age groups, with the gap widening slightly in the 65-80 age range.
- Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) is also higher in males than females, with the largest difference observed in the 65-80 age group.
- Pulse rates are higher in males compared to females across the age groups shown, although the differences appear relatively small.
Blood Pressure Visualization – Race and Gender
- For the systolic blood pressure (SBP) values and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), Non-Hispanic Black and Other Race groups have the highest readings in the 65-80 age group, while Non-Hispanic Asian has the lowest SBP in that age range.
- The pulse rate values are relatively consistent across racial/ethnic groups for the 65-80 age group, with Other Race showing the lowest rate and Mexican American the highest.
Cholesterol Visualization
- LDL levels peaked in the 55-64 age bracket before declining slightly in the older groups.
- Average LDL cholesterol levels were higher for females compared to males across age groups.The peak in the 55-64 age range was also higher in women.
- The racial/ethnic groups with the highest average LDL cholesterol levels within age brackets were other Hispanics, Mexican Americans, and Non-Hispanic Whites. Non-Hispanic Blacks lower mean LDL cholesterol overall, though levels still increased with age.
Nutrient Intake Visualization
- Average carbohydrates and sugar intake increased with age, while average protein intake decreased as people got older. This suggests older adults may be consuming more foods high in carbs and sugar but less protein-rich foods compared to younger people.
- While carb intake was almost balanced for both males and females of the same age, males had higher average protein intake. However, females consumed more sugar than males in the same age range.
- Non-Hispanic Asians have the highest average protein and fat intake. Carbohydrate intake is highest among non-Hispanic Asians, non-Hispanic Blacks, and Mexican Americans. Non-Hispanic Blacks have the highest sugar consumption, while Mexican Americans have the highest fiber intake
Summary
- Detailed analysis was done using data from multiple NHANES files, such as demographics, laboratory data, examination data, and dietary data.
- Weighted mean calculations and data segmentation techniques were utilized to account for the survey’s complex design and ensure representative estimates.
- The visualizations provide insights into how various health indicators differ by age, gender, and race/ethnicity for individuals aged 55 and above, based on the NHANES dataset.
- This analysis provides valuable insights for researchers and experts, as well as public information on the health and nutritional status of older adults in the United States.
Meet The Project Team
| Name | Role | |
|---|---|---|
| Hasaranga Jayathilake | Project Lead | hdjayath@iu.edu |
| Supraja Pericherla | Project Lead | sperich@iu.edu |
| Hari Shivani | Data Analyst | gudih@iu.edu |
| Junaid Ahmed | Data Analyst | junmoham@iu.edu |
| Khazi Nasiruddin | Data Analyst | naskhazi@iu.edu |
| Ladi Maniteja | Data Analyst | manilad@iu.edu |
| Deepak Mangapuram | Web Developer | demanga@iu.edu |
| Saksham Rajput | Web Developer | sarajput@iu.edu |
| Sai Varshitha Thurpu | Project Manager | sthurpu@iu.edu |
| Allyson Scott | Project Advisor | scott17@iu.edu |
References and Tools
Source Code
Our project’s complete analysis and visualization code is available on Github.