From vitamin status to omega-3 levels and supplement use, the upcoming CDC report turns decades of NHANES blood and urine data into a national snapshot of America’s nutritional health.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2026 Nutrition Report presents data for 131 biomarkers from the cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999–August 2023).. Image Credit: LightSpring/Shutterstock
A brief communication published in the journal Current developments in nutrition Provides an overview of the 2026 “National Report on Biochemical Indicators of Diet and Nutrition in the U.S. Population”, scheduled for release in June 2026 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The availability of such easily accessible data on national health and nutrition helps to identify problems, set priorities, design programs and monitor interventions for effectiveness.
NHANES survey
The report compiles nutritional biomarker data collected through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to August 2023, a period of approximately 24 years.
NHANES The survey is typically comprehensive among nutrition surveys. It collects nutritional data on food, beverage and supplement intake We population, combining it with a wide range of other participant data. Information comes from health interviews, questionnaires, physical examinations and biological samples (blood and urine) in a mobile examination center (MEC).
Scope of 2026 report
The report presents nationally representative blood and urine measurements for 131 nutritional biomarkers in the United States population aged 1 year and older. First CDC The nutrition report included 27 biomarkers for 1999 to 2002 and 58 biomarkers for 2003 to 2006. In comparison, fifty biomarkers were available for the August 2021 to August 2023 survey cycle alone.
Biomarkers cover a wide range of nutritional and dietary indicators, including water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins and related compounds, trace elements and bioactive compounds.
Newly Reported Biomarkers
The report includes several newly reported biomarkers of vitamin B12 status (composite indicator CB-12, which includes vitamin B-12, methylmalonic acid, and total homocysteine); cardiovascular health (omega-3 index, obtained by adding eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid as a percentage of total fatty acids in red cells); detection of copper and zinc elements in the blood; 4 trans-fatty acids separately and in total; 6 Serum Folate Form; 6 Red cells make folate individually and in aggregate; 15 Caffeine and caffeine metabolites; and 21 rbc fatty acids.
summary trends
The report contains more than 2700 tables and 500 figures that summarize the long-term distribution of nutritional biomarkers and demographic patterns. We population. A key feature of the 2026 report is the presentation of trends across nearly 24 years of data.
It clearly summarizes three types of statistics: percentile concentration trends over time by cycle; Reference interval estimates based on percentile values at either end of the spectrum; and stratified concentrations by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin.
For the first time, the report shows different concentrations for supplement users and non-users, recognizing the importance of supplement use in determining nutritional status.
Specification of NHANES data
paper highlights NHANES As one of the world’s most sustainable and comprehensive national nutrition monitoring systems. The authors say that relatively few countries conduct national nutrition surveys as part of health assessment.
When biochemical testing is included in such surveys, the focus is primarily on disease markers such as glucose, glycated hemoglobin and lipid levels. On the contrary, NHANES The survey included several biochemical measurements of nutritional biomarkers.
Design and scope of NHANES Make it the source of what the authors describe as “gold standard scientific data,” which is especially valuable for guideline development and data science research validation. In addition to the wide range of nutritional biomarkers, it links them to socio-demographic, lifestyle, anthropometric, medical history and physical examination data, allowing the identification of multiple associations.
Report usefulness
This report compiles approximately 24 years NHANES Keep data in a user-friendly format that enables nutritional status to be seen at a glance. It is descriptive, without much analysis or adjustment, providing information that can be processed in a number of ways.
According to the authors, the report aims to provide accessible reference information to policy makers, practitioners and researchers. Standardized tables and figures allow comparison of biomarkers across demographic groups, biomarkers, and time periods.
This can help identify where new interventions may be needed and track the effectiveness of ongoing programs and policies. This may help physicians develop or interpret national reference intervals for these biomarkers, while recognizing that reports provide descriptive, unadjusted population data. It helps scientists explore relationships between nutritional status and health, lifestyle and behavior.
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Journal Reference:
- Pfeifer, CM, Sternberg, MR, Powers, CD, et al. (2026). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2026 Nutrition Report presents data for 131 biomarkers from the cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999-August 2023). Current developments in nutrition. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2026.107688.
