Force-fed-belly Apr 2026

In Mauritania, a traditional practice known as leblouh involves the intentional force-feeding of young girls to make them appear wealthier and more attractive for marriage.

: Human rights organizations and local activists have condemned this as a form of child abuse that leads to long-term health issues like heart disease and diabetes. Human Rights and Prisons force-fed-belly

: Girls, some as young as five, are forced to consume up to 9,000 calories a day, primarily through sweetened camel milk, couscous, and porridge. In Mauritania, a traditional practice known as leblouh

: Monitoring for "belly stuffing" symptoms in a clinical setting involves checking for abdominal bloating, nausea, and cramping, which may indicate feeding intolerance. : Monitoring for "belly stuffing" symptoms in a

: Many international bodies, including the United Nations and Physicians for Human Rights , consider these practices a violation of international law and a form of torture.

: A nasogastric (NG) tube is inserted through the nose and into the stomach while the individual is often physically restrained.

Reports and investigations into "force-fed bellies" generally cover four distinct areas: cultural practices of intentional fattening, human rights abuses in correctional facilities, medical procedures, and niche subcultures. Cultural Fattening (Mauritania)