In a prospective study, 1,353 persons were administered a psychosocial questionnaire. At the same time, smoking, weight, and blood pressure were measured. 3 years later these variables were measured again. Another 7 years later the whole group was checked for clinical diagnoses that had occurred in the meantime. The main results were: (1) the 3-year changes of the somatic risk factors were almost as good predictors as their values themselves; (2) psychosocial variables were considerably better predictors of the diseases, and they also predicted the changes of the somatic risk factors about as well as the diseases.