Three generations of Seven Countries investigators gathered in Fukuoka, Japan, on October 30, 1993, to report on the past, present, and future of this vital ongoing study on cardiovascular disease epidemiology. The occasion was the 35th anniversary of the study, which contrasts lifestyles, diet, and cardiovascular disease rates in Japan, Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, and the United States. This volume collects the formal presentations at the 35th anniversary symposium. The Seven Countries Study was the first to carry out both cross-sectional and longitudinal research in populations contrasting in cardiovascular disease rate, lifestyle, and diet. This work presents a brief overview and history of the study followed by the investigators' summaries of their findings on recent dramatic increases and decreases in risk factors and disease rates. The investigators' presentations are capped by overviews from Dr. Frederick Epstein, University of Zurich, and Dr. Jeremiah Stamler, Northwestern University. This book will appeal to anyone interested in the origins, results, present activities, and public health implications of this active, pioneering study in cardiovascular disease epidemiology.