FSCN 3615 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Iron-Deficiency Anemia, Geophagia, Starch
21 May 2018
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● Pica is the practice of consuming non food items, such as clay, laundry starch, ice and match stick ends
● Three common types of pica are:
○ Geoghagy: dirt or clay eating
○ Pagophagy: ice eating
○ Amylophagy: starch eating
● Pica is latin for Magpie, a bird known for carrying off and eating unusual things
● Pica is practice worldwide, but most common in tropical areas
● In the US, pica appears to be practice most by Black pregnant women living in the rural south
● Black women are 4 times as likely to practice pica than are pregnant white women
● Black women tend to eat clay and white women who practice pica eat ice, burnt matches or ashes
● Generally, clay eaters seek clay from specific areas:
○ In the US, clay from Georgia appears to be considered high quality, sold in shoe boxes at Farmers
markets
○ In Africa, clay from Ghana is formed into various shapes and sold in many areas of Eastern and
Western Africa
● Research found half of 502 pregnant women practice pica in Ghana
● Pica has been reported as high as 68% in some cultures, even Hispanic women practice pica
○ These people are at high risk for parasites
● Clay may be consumed plain, or salt and vinegar may be added, some may bake it
● If clay in unavailable, laundry starch may be consumed
● Iron deficiency anemia is commonly associated with pica
● It is unclear whether the pica causes anemia, or if it results as a response to anemia
● Choice of pica substances appears to be changing, younger women appear more likely to consume ice or
starch than clay
● Why do people consume non food items?
○ Pica may be the body’s response to meet the need of certain nutrients. The following amounts
have been reported present in significant amounts:
■ Calcium
■ Iron
■ Zinc
■ Potassium
■ Copper
○ Some suggest the cravings may be due to mineral deficiencies
○ Pica is a response to hunger: 1 pound of laundry starch provides 1800 calories
○ Geophagy may be a cultural phenomenon, passed from mother to daughter
○ Pica may be a response to physiological changes occurring during pregnancy
■ Clay and starch may reduce nausea
■ Clay and starch may absorb the excessive saliva produced during pregnancy
○ Pica may be a way of getting attention
● Pregnant women reported that they eat clay because:
○ Taste for clay
○ Clay keeps the baby from being marked at birth
○ Nervous tension
○ Some women believe clay makes the baby’s skin a more beautiful color
○ Starch makes the newborn lighter in color
○ Starch makes the baby “slide out” more easily during delivery
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Document Summary
Pica is the practice of consuming non food items, such as clay, laundry starch, ice and match stick ends. In the us, pica appears to be practice most by black pregnant women living in the rural south. Pica is latin for magpie, a bird known for carrying off and eating unusual things. Pica is practice worldwide, but most common in tropical areas. Black women are 4 times as likely to practice pica than are pregnant white women. Black women tend to eat clay and white women who practice pica eat ice, burnt matches or ashes. Generally, clay eaters seek clay from specific areas: In the us, clay from georgia appears to be considered high quality, sold in shoe boxes at farmers markets. In africa, clay from ghana is formed into various shapes and sold in many areas of eastern and. Research found half of 502 pregnant women practice pica in ghana.
