Current status: Six established major risk factors - and low risk

This chapter has two interrelated purposes: to update information on the six established major coronary heart disease-cardiovascular disease (CHD-CVD) risk factors, their impact and importance, singly and especially in combination; and to highlight the decisive role of low risk, that is, favourable findings for all major risk factors - decisive for individuals and for populations. Evidence based on huge body of research amassed over many years and from many scientific disciplines testify to the strength of the relationships of the established major risk factors to coronary risk. Adverse diet is pivotal among the risk factors and plays a primary and overwhelming role in the causation of epidemic CHD and CVD.