Young women in West Africa are routinely force fed to help them find a husband, say recent reports.
Very slim women are seen as poor and unable to afford food in West African culture, and overweight women look more affluent.
As a result big is not only beautiful, but a goal that women strive towards.
According to HBO's documentary series VICE, more than half of women in Mauritania are overweight and 20% of the female population are obese.
Women in Mauritania
This quest to put on weight before marriage is a stark contrast to Western cultures, where many brides-to-be diet before their big day.
HuffPost Live spoke to body image experts from around the world to discuss not only how perceptions of beauty differ around the world, but how, for women, things always come back to size.