In brief

Very familiar, but veritas

We've heard it over and over again: Don't smoke, and quit if you do; stay trim; and keep your blood pressure and cholesterol at the right levels.

Repetition doesn't make all that any less true, says Sir Richard Peto, the Oxford epidemiologist who is one of the world's leading authorities on cancer and chronic disease prevention. Those dos and don'ts (they may seem like mostly don'ts) are still our best bets for living longer, healthier lives, according to Dr. Peto.