geophagia


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Related to geophagia: pica

geophagia

 [je″o-fa´jah]
the habit of eating clay or earth, a form of pica.

ge·o·pha·gi·a

, geophagismgeophagy (jē'ō-fā'jē-ă, jē-of'ă-jizm, -of'ă-jē),
The practice of eating dirt or clay.
Synonym(s): dirt-eating
[geo- + G. phagō, to eat]

geophagia

/geo·pha·gia/ (-fa´jah) the habitual eating of earth or clay, a form of pica.

geophagia

the practice of eating clay or dirt. A form of pica, the compulsion is thought by some to be associated with disorders of mineral balance. Some patients with pica have been found to suffer from an iron deficiency and respond to iron therapy. Red clay may be so rich in potassium that its ingestion can lead to hyperkalemia in individuals with renal failure.
The consumption of dirt—e.g., mud or clay—a former practice in many cultures, regionally extant in the southern US

ge·o·pha·gi·a

, geophagism , geophagy (jē'ŏ-fā'jē-ă, jē-of'ă-jizm, -of'ă-jē)
The practice of eating dirt or clay.
Synonym(s): dirt-eating.
[geo- + G. phagō, to eat]

Geophagia

The compulsive eating of earthy substances, including sand, soil, and clay.
Mentioned in: Pica

geophagia (gē·ō·fāˑ·zhē·),

n compulsive drive to eat dirt or clay. A type of pica, believed to be related to a mineral deficiency or imbalance.

ge·o·pha·gi·a

, geophagism , geophagy (jē'ŏ-fā'jē-ă, jē-of'ă-jizm, -of'ă-jē)
Eating dirt or clay.
[geo- + G. phagō, to eat]

geophagia, geophagism

the habit of eating clay or earth (soil); chthonophagia.
Mentioned in ?
References in periodicals archive ?
Several motivating factors for geophagia have been reported.
Whereas other researchers have speculated that geophagia during pregnancy may induce iron deficiency anaemia, others have indicated that geophagia may, in fact, be an adaptation to iron deficiency [1,3,18,21].
Whereas some reports have associated geophagia with anaemia and low iron status [14,19,29], others suggest geophagia may help meet iron and other essential minerals need [9,30,31].
Thus clay geophagia in this region may constitute significant risk to aluminium toxicity.
Geophagia clay soil as a source of mineral nutrients and toxicants
1992 Cultural and Medical Perspectives on Geophagia, Medical Anthropology 13, 337-51.
Geophagy: an assessment of implications for the development of Australian Indigenous plant processing technologies
In January 2000, a boy aged 17 years with an 8-year history of severe developmental disabilities and geophagia was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital comatose and with generalized hypertonia and hyperreflexia.
Raccoon roundworm encephalitis -- Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California, 2000
Few studies have described the practice of pica and geophagia in South Africa (SA).
While strongly held beliefs about the nutritional benefits and detoxifying effects of geophagia exist, [12] ingestion of soil has been shown to interfere with the bioavailability of micronutrients (leading to micronutrient deficiencies), and may result in geohelminthic infections, anaemia, hypokalaemia, peritoneal mesothelioma and intestinal obstruction or perforation.
Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were calculated using logistic regression to predict the sociodemographic characteristics and metal concentrations associated with geophagia.
A cross-sectional analytical study of geophagia practices and blood metal concentrations in pregnant women in Johannesburg, South Africa
In contrast, geophagia was seen in 5 of the 7 black patients with pica (71.
Pagophagia and geophagia have been reported to be the most common forms of pica, often depending on the subject's geographical origin.
Pagophagia and geophagia are particularly good indicators for iron deficiency, yet often go unrecognised.
Pica and food craving in adult patients with iron deficiency in Bloemfontein, South Africa

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