 force-feeding is the practice of feeding a person or an animal against their will. the term "gavage" refers to the supplying a nutritional substance by means of a small plastic tube passed through the nose or mouth into the stomach. == force-feeding of humans == force-feeding is the administration of tube feeding against a person's will. tube feeding can be given through different types of tubes. one type of tube can be placed through the nose into the stomach or bowel. this tube is called a nasogastric or nasoenteral feeding tube. sometimes the tube is placed directly through the skin into the stomach or bowel. ===medical uses=== force-feeding is the practice of feeding someone against their consent, and, with several exceptions, is generally not an acceptable practice in the medical community. nutrition support therapy should only be administered when medically necessary, such as with gastric obstruction, swallowing disorders etc., and only to be administered with a patient's full consent. some of the many reasons a person may refuse to eat are hunger strike, mental illness, eating disorders, phobias such as sitophobia (aversion to food) or phagophobia (fear of swallowing), and alzheimer's/dementia. despite the fact that it may be necessary for the person to eat, medical professionals should not administer feeding without consent from the patient. this technique is often used in premature babies as their sole source of nutrients. ===philosophical perspectives=== while forcible feeding procedures are invasive, and may be perceived as a threat to individual autonomy, the principle of supported autonomy suggests that in certain specialized circumstances, it may be in the best interests of persons being forcibly fed in the short term to preserve their autonomy in the long-term. o
Cruelty_to_animals Nutrition Torture