The purpose of the survey was and remains (a) the achievement of a clearer understanding of coronary risk factor prevalence in the working population of Scotland; (b) the education of that population through counselling and advice; and (c) through analysis of the large volume of screening data collected and additional follow-up data, a clearer appreciation of risk factors as predictors for future events.

Data collected include:
age, sex, occupation, social class, personal and family history of cardiovascular disease, smoking habit, consumption of alcohol and salt, body mass index, blood pressure, blood glucose and total cholesterol.

Altogether 780 screening sites were visited during which 19,400 volunteers (9,850 men and 9,550 women aged between 18 and 70) were screened.

This is the largest and most recent study in Scotland and the first study to include a large spectrum of age groups and common risk factors in a healthy working population. Assessment of heart and arterial disease risk factors over time will help to monitor the direction of changes in heart and arterial disease profiles and therefore has the potential to suggest ways of implementing new UK Government strategies for reducing risk factor levels.