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+[Main NHANES web site](http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes.htm)
+
+The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a
+cross sectional survey conducted by the United States National Center
+for Health Statistics (NCHS).  It has been conducted every two years
+since 1999, and sporadically prior to that date, starting in 1971.
+
+The variables are numerically coded.  Code books are available from
+the NHANES web site.  The variables are grouped by category.  There is
+a separate code book for each category at each wave.
+
+Here we provide a single merged file containing many of the variables
+for the 2011-2012 NHANES survey.  File an issue if you need additional
+variables or data for a different wave.
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