Mauritanian Force-Feeding Traditions
Girls in Mauritania face intense pressure to gain weight through “leblouh,” a force-feeding practice that celebrates larger body sizes. Young women consume massive amounts of camel milk and porridge daily to achieve the desired plump figure. Communities particularly prize stretch marks as beautiful proof of successful weight gain. This tradition links physical size directly to perceptions of wealth and fertility. Local mothers often oversee this rigorous feeding process personally.
