The Framingham Heart Disease Epidemiology Study was launched to help physicians better understand heart disease. The study was conducted under the direction of the National Heart Institute, which is currently known as the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

In the study, researchers examined the lives and habits of ordinary people living in a suburban Boston town called Framingham. The purpose was to determine whether a connection existed between an individual’s lifestyle and cardiovascular disease. Researchers investigated the risk factors that people were born with (genetic factors) and those they were exposed to (environmental factors), to determine their effect on the development of heart problems.

Since the original 5,209 participants were enrolled in the Framingham Study, several offspring generations and more ethnically diverse populations have been included in the study. Over 10,000 Framingham residents have now participated, and more than 1,000 scientific papers have been published from the study. Research is expected to continue throughout future generations.