Fattening rooms in Nigeria get wealthy people pay money to get fat.

In the city of Calabar, Nigeria, you can pay for a long stay at a fattening room, which is sort of like a fat camp, but in reverse. Using their 6-month spa treatment, guests can double their weight over the course of their stay. This is thanks to the intense weight-gaining regimen at the fattening center  consisting of nonstop eating, sleeping, and bathing. Particularly effective is the steady diet of garri, a porridge made of cassava tubers.

But, why would people pay to do this? In Nigeria, some communities being fat, especially for women, is a sign of status. Putting on some pounds is an effective way to earn people’s respect, and is sometimes a requirement for some women in order to get married. This practice has been banned, but it still goes on underground.

There’s also a news documentary about this subject, but I’ll warn you ahead of time that it’s very graphic and sad.

This BBC article has more about “fattening rooms” in Nigeria.

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