In plain words
Geophagy is the eating of earth-based materials such as clay, soil, or chalk. It is a form of , which is the urge to eat things that are not food. Some people report strong cravings for it during pregnancy. In many parts of Africa, the Americas, and Asia, earth eating has long been part of local traditions. Some people report that it eases nausea or heartburn. Others describe it as a comfort or a habit. Earth eating carries real risks, including parasites, heavy metals, and blocked absorption of iron and zinc. A mother who notices this urge may meet worry or judgment. It is still worth raising with a clinician, who can check iron levels and talk through the urge.
The deeper version
Geophagy, the deliberate ingestion of soil or clay, is classified as pica. It is most prevalent in pregnancy in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and in some other populations. Two hypotheses compete. One holds that the behavior responds to micronutrient deficiency, particularly iron and zinc. The other holds that geophagy, and amylophagy, the eating of starch, cause or worsen deficiency by binding iron in the gut. Observational data from Western Kenya (Geissler and colleagues, BMJ, 1998) fit the second hypothesis in part. Earth may also carry pathogens, lead, and other contaminants. Clinical practice is to check anemia and iron status and to assess the behavior in its cultural context. The core controversy is causality: whether the urge is a nutritional signal, an accelerant of deficiency, or a learned practice.
Where it comes up
- Cravings and food aversionsPregnancy: Eating
- Traditional pregnancy foods across culturesPregnancy: Eating
- Iron-rich foods and how to absorb themPregnancy: Eating
- Low iron and anemiaPregnancy: Your Body
What mothers here say about geophagy
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- Geissler PW and colleagues — Geophagy, iron status and anaemia among primary school children in Western Kenya. BMJ, 1998