Cuts Hit Core of Long-Running NHANES Program
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has dismissed the entire planning team responsible for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), one of the government’s most critical tools for tracking the nation’s health. The layoffs, affecting the National Center for Health Statistics, reportedly include all eight remaining staff overseeing survey planning and logistics. The cuts follow earlier workforce reductions in 2025 that had already downsized the division.
Decades of Data Collection at Risk
NHANES has operated for more than six decades, providing vital data used to shape national health guidelines, food labeling policies, and disease-prevention strategies. The program uniquely combines interviews, physical exams, and laboratory testing to capture a complete picture of Americans’ health and nutrition status. The planning branch coordinated survey schedules, ensured quality control, and managed field operations — functions that now face uncertainty with its removal.
Researchers Warn of Major Setbacks
Public health experts caution that eliminating the NHANES planning unit could disrupt future data collection and undermine decades of consistent trend tracking. Without a dedicated team to oversee survey logistics, they warn the program’s reliability and timeliness could suffer. The CDC has not clarified how it plans to maintain NHANES operations or whether new staffing or contracts will replace the laid-off personnel.
