Some people with a fat fetish try to make their partners grow larger to make them even more sexually appealing. This is called feederism. Called feeders, these fat fetishists feed their partners, cook for them, and encourage them to eat more to increase their size. Some feeders in long-distance or virtual relationships may send their partners money for food. While food is often the focus for feeders, they may also encourage their partners to be sedentary to avoid burning calories. While feederism is a common variety of fat fetishism, not all fat fetishists are feeders.
It’s unclear why some people have a fat fetish. However, some psychologists believe it may be a result of being hungry or having food limited while they were young. Others believe that masturbating around food may also trigger a fat fetish.
While some larger people enjoy being in relationships with fat fetishists, others avoid these relationships, believing that fat fetishists objectify them. Relationships between fat fetishists and bigger people may also suffer if the overweight person becomes physically or mentally unhealthy. The steps they take to reduce their weight and return to health may not be supported by their fat fetishist partners. Fat fetishists may also not feel attracted to their partners once they lose weight.
As overeating can cause health problems, some people who date or have sex with fat fetishists use stuffing or padding underneath their clothes to give the illusion they are larger than they really are. This is a good healthy way to appeal to fat fetishists without sacrificing health.