Geophagia : History, Epidemiology, and Etiology

The consumption of soil, clay and chalk by humans is labeled as geophagia. This book takes a consistent, interdisciplinary approach for reviewing this aberrant behavior, crafting its etiology, charting its health effects and identifying the universal traits among the affected population.

Ingestion of food is a physiological process among heterotrophic organisms to obtain nutrients for survival. The consumption of soil, clay and chalk by humans is labeled as geophagia. Ancient resources and modern references deliver valuable information concerning geophagia and pica in humans. This book takes a consistent, interdisciplinary approach for reviewing this aberrant behavior, crafting its etiology, charting its health effects and identifying the universal traits among the affected population. It puts forward a brief conceptual framework to achieve universality in its definition, history, epidemiology and multiple hypotheses thus help in adopting measures to control this habit.Key Features:1. Systematic and meticulous flow of information on geophagia.2. Guides general practioners, physicians, pediatricians to curb this practice in their patients. 3. A unique and concise treatise covering descriptive and research based work over a crucial health issue of worldwide prevalence.