Gaining

I would say they do, by sheer virtue of feeding frequency.

A gainer may eat a lot of calories, but not nearly as constantly as they are capable of... a feeder may fix that.

Example: I've pigged out quite a bit this past month, but really only at my convenience. With term papers and stuff, I was more focused on school than eating at times... imagine if during those times I had someone bringing me a constant supply of food and high calorie drinks?

Another example: I'm about to head to work, but just spent an hour or so mindlessly web browsing. I'm not hungry, so it didn't cross my mind to eat anything this morning. Of course, I'm not full either. A feeder might make sure I was full before heading into work.

I dunno how much of a difference a feeder/encourager would make for me. I've managed to gain a lot of weight solo, going from less than 300lbs at around 14, to nearly 600lbs now, at 23.

I also eat until it hurts to breath because I like that feeling. Especially if I can just go and lay down on my back for a while afterward, like a couple of hours, and then get up and grab some more to eat.

I suppose a feeder could help increase my intake a bit. Hmmm, but I have no basis for comparison.

Many feedees (not all!) are pretty lazy and can't always be bothered to fetch themselves snacks. Even when they're hungry!

Such feedees will eat way more if they have a good feeder.

I'd say that like all things it depends on the person;in this instance the feedee. Some are driven to gain weight for various reasons. Some do it to feel comfortable with their body, others to give the perverbial F-U to the medical field or someone who is really cracking down on them, and still others for the erotic feelings from either from being a stuffed glutton, others noticing how fat they've gotten, feeling all soft, squashing or wrestling with someone etc. The list could go on.

Enter the feeder. This person like the feedee inhabits a number of different characters depending on the person from the gentle and passive encourager/enabler to the aggressive and dominanting force feeder to the diabolical secret feeder etc. The point is the feedee wants to get fat and a feeder is more than happy oblige as they want the same thing as well.

To answer your question, we can. We aren't necessary for a person to gain weight but we sure can help make it fun and speed up the results. And who doesn't like doing fun things, especially intimate and erotic fun things. Also there is the Dom/sub aspect of feederism and fat fetishes. Some people who what feeders what us because they what a forceful Fattener to stuff them til they can't walk or an adoring slave feeder to fatten them.

I imagine it would make all the difference in the world. First because it would give me a LOT more confidence about being bigger. Second because I know I could eat a LOT more on an average day if someone reminded (and fed) me all the time.