From what I understand from overseas, there's been some controversy about setting legal limits in the UK on ultra-high-processed foods (which contribute to risk of Type 2 diabetes in a number of ways). The controversy (What, no crisps?) indicates that there is a second opponent to a healthy society, namely companies that profit from unhealthy foods (UHP foods, you probably know create a desire for more UHP foods, especially those high in sodium, bad fats, sugar and refined grains, fried foods, etc.) I don't think these purveyors of disease want to cull the herd--they want to keep them alive as consumers and to pass poor eating habits on to their children (paging Dean Swift). We have laws limiting alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drugs, so why not bad foods?

Unfortunately educating the subject populace would have little impact on dietary habits, just as further education would reduce consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and street drugs.