Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective, produced by the World Cancer Research Fund together with the American Institute for Cancer Research, has been the most authoritative source on food, nutrition, and cancer prevention for 10 years. On publication in 1997, it immediately became recognised as the most authoritative and influential report in its field and helped to highlight the importance of research in this crucial area. It became the standard text worldwide for policy-makers in government at all levels, for civil society and health professional organisations, and in teaching and research centres of academic excellence. Since the mid-1990s the amount of scientific literature on this subject has dramatically increased. New methods of analysing and assessing evidence have been developed, facilitated by advances in electronic technology. There is more evidence, in particular on overweight and obesity; on physical activity; and on whole life course events. Also, cancer survivors is a new field. The need for a new report was obvious; and in 2001 WCRF International in collaboration with AICR began to put in place a global process in order to produce and publish the Report in November 2007. This is the English summary of the 2007 report. Summaries have also been published in Spanish, Porrtuguese, German, French, Dutch, Chinese and Japanese. (Those identified as authors here are the senior consultants and staff responsible to WCRF-AICR for the report. Its technical content was the responsibility of a panel chaired by Michael Marmot. Its publication was the responsibility of WCRF and AICR executives headed by Marilyn Gentry)