Washington ? Even fat is the stuff of politics in Washington. And with obesity a growing health problem, lawmakers, lawyers and advocates are lining up the way they do for most issues: on two sides.

The left’s view is that the food industry and advertisers are big bullies that practically force-feed people with gimmicks and high-calorie treats. They say Ronald McDonald is the cousin of Joe Camel.

The right’s argument has been dubbed: You’re fat, your fault. They say people can make their own choices about food and exercise.

“I don’t think people want to go back,” said Tomas Philipson, a University of Chicago economist. “They’d rather be fatter and richer.”

The debate has spilled over into public policy, with proposals for a junk-food tax, limits on food advertising, demands for more details on labeling and lawsuits against food manufacturers. Several states are considering limits on sweets sold in schools; Some are debating whether to force chain restaurants to list nutrition information on menus.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., recently introduced a bill that would prevent people from suing restaurants and food manufacturers for making them fat. Similar legislation has been introduced in the House.

The stakes are high. Some 300,000 Americans die prematurely each year from being overweight. It’s the leading lifestyle-related cause of disease and death in the United States after smoking.

Americans are even fatter than they think they are, with nearly a third of all adults — almost 59 million people — rated obese in the National Health and Nutrition Examination surveys based on actual body measurements.

Big numbers

The number of obese adult Americans increased more than 50 percent between 1980 and 1994, according to a 2002 federal study.

Waistlines are expanding for many reasons and both sides agree on some of them: Jobs are sedentary, larger quantities of food are produced more cheaply, and good grub is now available everywhere — in gas stations, drug stores, museums and more.

People simply don’t have the time or inclination to cook, so they choose high-calorie fast foods that pack on pounds.

Agricultural technology has changed significantly. Fewer people are working on the farm, yet more food than ever is being produced.

Stuffed with gimmicks

“We were like animals, spending most of our time making and eating food,” Philipson said. “We used to be paid to exercise; now we pay to exercise.”

Some say that Americans, from cradle to grave, are being influenced — even suffocated — by mountains of food promotions and gimmicks.

Kelly Brownell, professor of psychology at Yale University, called all this the “toxic food environment” and showed examples — baby bottles with soft drink logos and bibs labeled “Future Whopper Eater.”

Brownell said restrictions should be placed on characters used in advertising aimed at young people — much like they were for R.J. Reynolds’ Joe Camel. He’d like to see Ronald McDonald eat his last fries and disappear.

Food companies are looking for protection against those who would hold them liable for fattening products.

Recently, consumers have begun suing fast food chains like McDonald’s and Wendy’s, arguing that the food has contributed to their obesity and diseases such as diabetes.

A federal judge dismissed a class-action lawsuit in January that blamed McDonald’s food for obesity, diabetes and other health problems in children, calling the law no guard against personal excess.

Other lawsuits were filed last year — a 270-pound maintenance worker alleged that eating McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King and KFC had caused him health problems. Those suits were dropped or put on hold while the lawsuit against McDonald’s was considered.

Schools that give beverage and snack food companies exclusive rights to sell their goods in vending machines might also find themselves in court.