About the data: We used the family income data from the 2013 American Community Survey. This counts only families, which the government defines as households with two or more people related by birth, marriage or adoption. The graph focuses on families living in the country's 30 most populous cities.
Diseases and conditions that may cause edema include: 1  Congestive heart failure. 2  Cirrhosis. 3  Kidney disease.  Kidney 1  damage. Weakness or damage to veins in your legs.  Inadequate lymphatic 1  system. Symptoms.  Risk factors.
Sometimes diseases that affect the entire body, such as heart disease and kidney or liver failure, can result in excess fluid buildup (edema) that is often concentrated in the legs and feet, leading to swelling not only of the ankles but also of the feet and lower legs.