So, what do fois gras and the practice of leblouh (intensive force feeding) NOT have in common? One concerns a goose, and the other young girls in Africa. I first became aware of the practice when asked by one of my Face Book fans at Diplomatically Incorrect and Diplomat Artist if we had any information. She was responding to our recent film report on another child abuse in Africa, “Child Witches and Exorcisms,” and thought this would be an interesting story. (We have done reports on female genital cutting, a cultural taboo in Western society, which has received much attention.)

Leblouh is practiced in Mauritania, a country where many Africa’s come together: North and West, Moorish and Sub-Saharan. This is a poor country with young women making up the majority of the poor. Arabic is the main language, but most also speak French from past colonial heritage.

In Mauritania, men prefer their women large. Stretch marks are a man’s bragging rights that he can take care of his wife and is prosperous. To attract husbands, young girls are sent to fat camps where they are force-fed 16,000 calories a day. Their diet consists of high-calorie food (goat milk, oily couscous, pounded millet with water.)

Although not outlawed, in 2003 the Government aimed to fight child abuse
and the practice. However, there was a return to tradition when a junta took over in 2008.

Personally, I believe in the beauty of cultural diversity. On the thin side myself, I would probably be considered very undesirable by their norms. In the West, we have our own problems with anorexia and bulimia to attain that perfect size 4. My problem with this practice is what choice do these young girls have; what is this doing to their health and reproductive systems?

Education will foster better health, less infant mortality, and more productive societies. Another cliché, beauty is only skin deep.


-----By, Susan Sacirbey
Face Book: Diplomatically Incorrect and Diplomat Artist
Twitter: DiplomaticallyX
See Related Film Reports:

“Micro-Finance into Mauritania Mix”
diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/micro-finance-into-mauritania-mix/24481
.
“Stopping Female Genital Cutting”
diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/stopping-female-genital-cutting/24195

“Child Witches & Exorcisms”
diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/child-witches-exorcisms/27051