Geophagy

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 . 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 .

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