Dieting is the hard way to address the problem and it lacks several components to succeed. Keep in mind that there are many thin people with good diets that still have diabetes.
Exercise is important because oxygenation is detrimental to anaerobic bacterial proliferation.
I don't think that Ladysmith was discussing changing "eating habits" so much as processed food ingredients. Some additives add to poor diet without really being necessary.
I will say that many "low fat" foods (soup especially) bump up the sodium content for flavor. I have found some low sodium/low fat soups (and could probably make such a thing myself in the kitchen).