Obesity may soon be killing as many as 500,000 people a year in the U.S. The head of the Centers for Disease and Control said “Obesity is catching up to tobacco as the leading cause of death in America. If this trend continues it will soon overtake tobacco. This is a tragedy.” In 2000, 64 percent of the country was founded to be obese or overweight. Government critics say the Department of Agriculture should change its policies to subsidize the food industry for makin healthy foods, require labeling at fast-food restaruatns and barring certain sugary, fatty products from schools.