Dekalb County has been selected to take part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a government survey that has been conducted for more than 50 years.

“We’re so excited that Dekalb County is one of the 15 counties this year that’s in the sample,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tells WSB Radio.

Dekalb is one of 15 counties that was selected this year. This is the first time since 2007 that Georgia has been included in the survey.

Five-hundred randomly selected households in Dunwoody are taking part in the survey.

“This is really the nation’s checkup,” Schuchat explains, “how we know how we’re doing and where we need to go in the future.”

Schuchat adds, “So this really helps us plan, know the resources that we need to keep the country healthy and make sure that our strategies are working.”

The first part of the survey is a lengthy questionnaire.

The second part has participants undergoing comprehensive exams in a high tech mobile examination center. The mobile center is made up of four semi-trucks put together by one hall way. Inside, the center houses rooms for interviews about topics including diet, exercise, and blood tests.

About 365 people will take part in the survey that is underway now and runs through March.

Jane Eklund, the study’s manager, tells WSB Radio the survey includes a blood pressure analysis and dietary recall.

The aim of this national survey is to provide important data on health conditions and concerns in the country. It also gives a clearer picture of the nation's attitudes, beliefs, health and cultural backgrounds and how they influence health outcomes.

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) gives researchers important information about health issues and causes of disease, which can help lead to cures.

The information collected is used by a number of institutions including the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, and American Dental Association.

Eklund says, “When you hear or read articles about what America eats, if you look in the fine print, most of the time you’ll see the NHANES data has been used."