Geophagy

Last revised by Travis Fahrenhorst-Jones ◉ on 25 Feb 2022

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Knipe H, Fahrenhorst-Jones T, Bell D, et al. Geophagy. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 27 Mar 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-30976

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-30976

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/30976

rID:

30976

Article created:

12 Sep 2014, Henry Knipe ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.

View Henry Knipe's current disclosures

Last revised:

25 Feb 2022, Travis Fahrenhorst-Jones ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Travis Fahrenhorst-Jones had no recorded disclosures.

View Travis Fahrenhorst-Jones's current disclosures

Revisions:

12 times, by 7 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Gastrointestinal

Tags:

stub, refs, cases, definition

Synonyms:

Geophagia

Geophagy is the intentional ingestion of earth, soil or clay and is a form of pica. This practice is not uncommon in the southern regions of the United States or provinces of Africa. It is found most commonly in children and pregnant women ^3,4. Although geophagy may be seen in the context of a variety of different cultural or religious practices, it is also encountered in patients with behavioral disturbances or psychiatric disease ⁵.

Interestingly, geophagy is found more commonly in iron deficient patients despite worsening iron deficiency, regardless of the soils' iron content ⁶. Geophagy is also seen in lead poisoning ⁶.