In 1987-1988 approximately 1,300 survivors were recalled for measurements of functional and cognitive status using the Framingham Functional Disability Questionnaire so that comparisons of results from Charleston and Framingham could be made. Measurements were made of blood pressure, height, weight, and heart function by auscultation, ECG, and echocardiography. Lipoproteins, glucose, and other biochemical parameters were assessed. The biomedical and sociodemographic determinants of long-term survival in Black men and women were quantified and compared with those of whites. The risk factor significance of Minnesota-coded ECG abnormalities in Blacks versus whites were identified and quantified. Familial aggregation of risk factors and potential causes of obesity were assessed.