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According to epidemiological studies, gallstonedisease is a very common disease in Mexican-Americansand Mexicans. However, the major risk factors forcholelithiasis in Mexicans have not been identified. We designed a case-control study in a group ofMexican subjects with and without gallstone diseaseconfirmed by ultrasound. These subjects wereprospectively studied over a three-year period. Clinical and epidemiological data were collected bymeans of a questionnaire. A total of 1500 subjects wereincluded in this study: 1000 with and 500 withoutgallstone disease. The major risk factor in both men and women was body mass index [odds ratio (OR)1.64 and 1.96, respectively; P < 0.008 and 0.001]. Inaddition, parity was an important factor in women (OR2.17, P < 0.001), whereas age was associated withgallstone disease in men (OR 1.43, P < 0.001). Wefound that body mass index, parity, and age were theprincipal risk factors for gallstone disease in thisgroup of Mexican subjects. These results are similar tothose found in Mexican-Americanpopulations.