Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) Rolling Programme (RP) began in 2008 and is designed to assess the diet, nutrient intake and nutritional status of the general population aged 1.5 years and over living in private households in the UK. (For details of the previous NDNS series, which began in 1992, see the documentation for studies 3481, 4036, 4243 and 5140.)The programme is funded by Public Health England (PHE), an executive agency of the Department of Health, and the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA).The NDNS RP is currently carried out by a consortium comprising NatCen Social Research (NatCen) (NatCen, contract lead) and the MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge (scientific lead). The MRC Epidemiology Unit joined the consortium in November 2017. Until December 2018, the consortium included the MRC Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Cambridge (former scientific lead). In Years 1 to 5 (2008/09 – 2012/13) the consortium also included the University College London Medical School (UCL).Survey activities at the MRC Epidemiology Unit are delivered with the support of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (IS-BRC-1215- 20014), comprising the NIHR BRC Nutritional Biomarker Laboratory and NIHR BRC Dietary Assessment and Physical Activity Group. The NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre is a partnership between Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge, funded by the NIHR. The NDNS RP provides the only source of high quality, nationally representative UK data on the types and quantities of foods consumed by individuals, from which estimates of nutrient intake for the population are derived. Results are used by Government to develop policy and monitor progress toward diet and nutrition objectives of UK Health Departments, for example work to tackle obesity and monitor progress towards a healthy, balanced diet as visually depicted in the Eatwell Guide. The NDNS RP provides an important source of evidence underpinning the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) work relating to national nutrition policy. The food consumption data are also used by the FSA to assess exposure to chemicals in food, as part of the risk assessment and communication process in response to a food emergency or to inform negotiations on setting regulatory limits for contaminants.Further information is available from the gov.uk National Diet and Nutrition Survey webpage.
The study currently includes data and documentation covering Years 1-15 of the NDNS RP.The Yrs 9-11 food level dietary data are presented in separate annual files due to their size, rather than one combined file as for previous years. A syntax file is included for SPSS users to join these files together if required. Latest edition information For the 22nd edition (November 2025) replacement version of the data file 'ndns_yr12-15a_indiv' was deposited. Two documentation 'ndns_rp_yr12-15_uk_variable_list' and 'ndns_yrs9-11_variable_list_v4' have also been updated.Note to users, December 2025:The depositor has provided the following information:The labels on variables qeimd, qsimd, qwimd, qnimd in the dataset ndns_yr12-15a_indiv should be as follows: 1 ‘Most deprived’ to 5 ‘Least deprived’. They are currently 1 ‘Least deprived’ to 5 ‘Most deprived’.There is also incorrect labelling on SIMD_2012_quintile in the Yrs9-11 indiva datasets, although there are other SIMD variables, 2009 and 2016 which would show the discrepancy a crosstab be run on the two. For the Yrs9-11 data, dataset ndns_rp_yr9-11a_indiv_20211020 the variable SIMD_2012_quintile should display 1 ‘Most deprived’ to 5 ‘Least deprived’.The data will be resupplied in due course.
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The study includes dietary data obtained from an unweighed four-day food diary and information from a face-to-face interview (on food shopping, preparation and eating habits, smoking and drinking, physical activity, general health), physical measurements (height and weight) and collection of a spot urine sample. A nurse interview is also conducted to collect information on prescribed medicines take physical and blood pressure measurements and a blood sample. Other measures may have been included in other years.
Multi-stage stratified random sample
Diaries
Clinical measurements
Physical measurements and tests
Telephone interview: Computer-assisted (CATI)
Face-to-face interview: Computer-assisted (CAPI/CAMI)
Self-administered questionnaire: Computer-assisted (CASI)
