Pica and Related Disorders - Nutrition and Food Science ...

[Pages:15]Pica and Related Disorders

By: Rhonda Barlow-Glynn County

Pica

AN EATING DISORDER IN WHICH NONNUTRITIONAL OBJECTS ARE EATEN

COMES FROM THE LATIN WORD FOR MAGPIE- A BIRD WHICH WILL EAT ANYTHING

Most Prevalent In

Children ages 1-6 Pregnant women Certain cultures Mentally deficient

Persons with Pica Tend to Eat

Clay Dirt Animal Feces Chalk Ice Hairballs Paint or Paint chips Sand

Possible Causes

Nutrient deficiencies- especially iron and zinc

Stress OCD- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Developmental disorders Mental disorders

Treatment

Begins with checking for and correcting nutrient deficiencies. May need to include behavioral or emotional treatments.

Amylophagia

Eating purified starch (laundry or cornstarch) Cause-usually due to a lack of iron or zinc.

Most Prevalent In

Pregnant Women African American Women Children under three Persons with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive

Disorder) Certain cultures or religious traditions Those with mental disabilities

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