[After Framingham, MA, the town where the investigation took place]

A study of the risk factors that contribute to the development of coronary artery disease and stroke, performed with a group of about 5000 residents of a small town in Massachusetts under the auspices of the National Institutes of Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute). The study began shortly after World War II and has followed a cohort of individuals, aged 30-62, for signs and symptoms of atherosclerotic vascular disease and those physical findings and lifestyle choices that contribute to the development of the disease. In 1971, 5124 children of the original cohort were enrolled in the study; and , in 2002, a third generation of townspeople were enrolled to further understand genetic factors that contribute to the development of heart attack and stroke. The Framingham study identified the major acknowledged risk factors for vascular disease: diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and smoking. The Framingham database has also been used to explore illnesses other than heart disease, including arthritis, dementia, lung disease, osteoporosis, and a wide variety of genetic illnesses.