The "Level of Living" - concept in statistics/social research is originally a Swedish invention, but the modern Norwegian focus on this type of research and data collection dates back to a large-scale government initiated project from 1972. The first Level of Living Study in Norway was conducted in 1973, as a data collection project for a Government Commission studying the living conditions of Norwegian Citizens. The aim was to collect data on living conditions for different social groups, with particular emphasis on low-income groups and other groups that are assumed to live under special or problematic conditions. From 1980 onwards this became a regular data collecting activity run by Statistics Norway for statistical purposes, to monitor the living conditions of Norwegians. The Level of Living Studies may be regarded as a continuation and development of the statistical tradition behind consumer expenditure surveys and income- and property surveys. Up until 1995 this kind of studies were regularly conducted every 3-4 years, to map the living conditions of social groups. From 1996 onwards these studies were reorganised and are now carried out on an annual basis.