The overall, and age, sex, and ethnic-specific, prevalence of peripheral venous disease was determined in a stratified multiethnic random sample of 2,408 men and women aged 29 to 91 years. Three specific categories of venous disease were defined including: telangiectasias and flat reticular veins; superficial venous disease without deep valvular incompetence or obstruction; deep venous disease, with valvular incompetence or obstruction. Varicose veins were typically but not invariably present in the latter two categories. These three categories were diagnosed by an ordered non-invasive evaluation, including visual inspection, with photographic documentation of abnormal findings, and duplex color sonography to diagnose valvular incompetence and venous obstruction.