Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee’s comment yesterday that Michael Moore is an example of “why the health care system costs more in this country” — an apparent reference to Mr. Moore’s weight — drew a sharp response from one of the filmmaker’s associates.

Meghan O’Hara, the producer of Mr. Moore’s new documentary, “Sicko,” fired back:

“Looks like Mike Huckabee is auditioning for some insurance company dough, since he’s raised just about no money and sparked zero interest since jumping into the race I wonder what the good Governor would say to the French, who drink more, smoke more, eat more cheese and still live longer than us despite paying less for health care? ”

“No wonder the Republicans are in such trouble, their entire plan to fix the health care system in this country is to tell people to lose weight. Maybe if Mike Huckabee and his Republican friends stopped sucking up to health insurance campaign contributors they wouldn’t feel the need to blame Americans for this crisis. Just because he stopped eating twinkies by the bushel doesn’t make that an outline for a national health care plan. “There’s nothing worse than a reformed smoker — or twinkie eater for that matter — preaching conversion. We’ve all had one of those in the house and can’t wait for them to just leave. With 66 percent of the American Public overweight, it certainly doesn’t seem the way to win an election. Americans would feel better if they ate more fruits and vegetables, and walked around the block some more, but they won’t be encouraged to do that by a scold from Huckabee. And isn’t he a minister? I don’t remember Jesus blaming the sick for their ailments. He healed them, and told others that unless you help them, you can’t come into the kingdom of heaven.”

Mr. Huckabee’s comments about Mr. Moore came near the end of what was an otherwise routine conference call that primarily focused on the former Arkansas governor’s presidential bid. A reporter asked Mr. Huckabee about his views on health care reform and whether he planned to see the movie, “Sicko.”

“Michael Moore is an example of why the health care system costs more in this country,” Mr. Huckabee responded. He described his own efforts to lose weight over the years and said that his doctor visits, prescription drug costs and other chronic problems have all “gone down dramatically” since he shed more than 100 pounds.

Mr. Huckabee said he had not seen “Sicko” — and doesn’t plan to — but did catch Mr. Moore defending his film from criticism during a series of appearances on CNN this week. He said that Mr. Moore shouldn’t be acting “as if he’s got all the answers” to the health care situation in the United States.

Mr. Huckabee has spoken publicly about his personal struggle to lose weight and has made fighting childhood and adult obesity an issue in his presidential campaign as it was during his governorship. In 2006 he authored a self-help book on weight loss called “Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork: A 12-Stop Program to End Bad Habits and Begin a Healthy Lifestyle.”

When asked whether Mr. Moore would respond directly to Mr. Huckabee, one of the filmmaker’s media representatives said the candidate’s remarks “didn’t really dignify a response.”