A follow-up survey was conducted to investigate the relationship between total Cd intake and mortality in the Jinzu River basin for 6128 days among 757 inhabitants who ingested household rice. When the subjects were divided into two groups, standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were 0.94 in men and 1.36 in women for the > or = 2.0 g group and 0.68 in men and 0.29 in women for the <2.0 g group (significant in the women). Cox's hazard ratios for men, women, and men+women for the > or = 2.0 g group relative to those in the <2.0 g group were 1.406, 3.955 and 1.950 (significant in the men+women). Using total Cd intake as a continuous variable, the hazard ratios were 1.045, 1.146 and 1.049 in men, women, and men+women (significant in the women), respectively. In the Jinzu River basin, increased total Cd intake appears to exert an adverse influence on life prognosis.