Geophagia (/ ˌdʒiːəˈfeɪdʒ (i) ə /), also known as geophagy (/ dʒiˈɒfədʒi /), [1] is the intentional [2] practice of consuming earth or soil-like substances such as clay, chalk, or termite mounds. It is a behavioural adaptation that occurs in many non-human animals and has been documented in more than 100 primate species. [3] .

Geophagy is the habit of consuming clay soil such as chalk or kaolin. Though it is globally practiced, the safety of those involved is yet to be fully established. It is thought to be highly prevalent in pregnant women because of its antinausea or therapeutic effects.

Oct 24, 2020 · Geophagy is a traditional practice of eating clay or dirt which actually does provide nutrients to the body. In Africa, pregnant and lactating women eat clay.

The meaning of GEOPHAGY is the practice of eating earthy substances (such as clay) that in humans is performed especially to augment a scanty or mineral-deficient diet or as part of a cultural tradition.

Aug 20, 2019 · Geophagia, the practice of eating dirt, has existed all over the world throughout history. People who have pica, an eating disorder in which they crave and eat nonfood items, often consume dirt....

Aug 25, 2023 · Geophagy is the intentional eating of earth. It’s a type of pica, the craving for and consumption of non-food items. Pica is often considered a rare psychological disorder, yet the consumption of soil, dirt, clay, sand, chalk, and other forms of earth is …

Nov 12, 2020 · Geophagy (or geophagia) can be defined as the habit of eating clay or earth, a practice about which there is a great deal of misunderstanding.

Geophagy—the consumption of soil, ground-up rock, termite mound earth, clay, and dirt—is extremely common in mammals, birds, reptiles, and invertebrates. The habit is still found among many contemporary indigenous peoples, including the Aboriginal people of Australia and the traditional peoples of East Africa and China (Abrahams, 1996).

Jan 19, 2025 · 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.

Feb 20, 2025 · The main cause of geophagy–lithophagy in animals and humans all over the world is the regulation of concentration and the ratio of rare earth elements in the neuroimmunoendocrine system, which controls metabolic processes and provides immune defense of the body.