Imagine a chart with two lines spanning the last 50 years. One of those lines was very high at the beginning, and has generally been trending downwards. One of those lines was quite low at the beginning and has rapidly been trending upwards.
The study is suggesting that we've reached a point where these two lines have finally crossed, which we probably could have anticipated coming sooner or later.
That the most salient recent observation is a change to the prevalence of tobacco-attributed disease doesn't really change what it means for obesity-attributed risk to finally overtake it. That wouldn't have even been fathomable 50 years ago and the trendlines confirm exactly what needs urgent attention now.
The study is suggesting that we've reached a point where these two lines have finally crossed, which we probably could have anticipated coming sooner or later.
That the most salient recent observation is a change to the prevalence of tobacco-attributed disease doesn't really change what it means for obesity-attributed risk to finally overtake it. That wouldn't have even been fathomable 50 years ago and the trendlines confirm exactly what needs urgent attention now.