Improving diet and physical activity: 12 lessons from controlling tobacco smoking.

This year three new books have been published about the progress made globally in research, policy, and actions to control tobacco smoking. In addition, Sir Richard Doll reported this year on 50 years of following British doctors to document the impact of smoking on their health. We have reviewed the evidence and approaches taken to control tobacco smoking, well described in these new texts, because of the rapid global increase in the risk factors of unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity. As part of the Oxford Vision 2020 process, we have proposed 12 lessons from tobacco control that might speed up progress in tackling these new public health threats. We also drew on other recent insights from tobacco control in addressing other chronic disease risks.