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risk factor n something which increases risk or susceptibility <a fatty diet is a risk factor for heart disease>
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an attribute, such as a habit (e.g. cigarette smoking) or exposure to some environmental hazard, that leads the individual concerned to have a greater likelihood of developing an illness. The relationship is one of probability and as such can be distinguished from a causal agent.
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a clearly defined occurrence or characteristic that has been associated with the increased rate of a subsequently occurring disease; causality may or may not be implied.Medical dictionary. 2011.