Between 30 and 80% of people in Africa, especially women, regularly eat clayey soil -- this habit is known as geophagy. They consume between 100 and 400 g per day.
Geophagy, the practice of soil consumption, can be seen as a form of pica-the craving and ingestion of nonnutritive substances. Soil eating occurs throughout the world.
In most cases, people eat dirt to help ease stomach troubles or nutrient deficiencies.
Woman selling edible clay in a market in Cameroon. Source: Wikipedia
Prevalence and Demographics
It is most commonly found among pregnant and lactating women in sub-Saharan Africa with the highest prevalence during pregnancy. The prevalence of geophagy among pregnant women in Africa has been reported to range from 28% to 84%, and it is assumed that, in Uganda, up to 50% of pregnant women are engaging in geophagy during gestation.
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Although eating soil can also be found among children, it is described to be a predominant female practice, and rarely reported among men.
Our findings suggest that geophagy is not limited to pregnancy and can also be found among nonpregnant women and men.
Many African ethnic groups therefore regard soil-eating as "womanly" and the increased consumption of soil is seen as a sign that a woman is pregnant.
Reasons for Soil Consumption
The reason behind this habit, which was previously also widespread in Europe and Asia, is still not clear and is largely unresearched.
Various hypotheses exist and there are conflicting studies to whether the consumption of soil may be beneficial to health or not.
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In modern societies, geophagy represents eating habit with hidden reasons. Some statements have been raised as reasons for geophagical behavior.
- Clay includes additional micro/macro nutrients that may be absent in the consumer's day to day diet.
- Kaolin or clay has the capacity to detoxify secondary compounds that are often found in foods.
- Kaolin or clay prevents the stomach and intestines from harmful biochemical substances and thus ensures resistance to gut disease.
Danford tried to describe summarily the four hypotheses most commonly discussed as reasons for clay (kaolin) or soil consumption. These include: nutritional, psychological, cultural and medical or therapeutic.
Our interviews have shown that the first geophagy experience is often during childhood due to influence of family members and friends or due to curiosity. Habitually, the consumption of soil ceases in adolescence, but is restarted during gestation.
According to our results, nine of 17 pregnant women initiated geophagy during their first pregnancy as teenagers. Those women reported that geophagy is limited to times of gestation and there tends to be a pattern with the onset and cessation, starting in the second trimester and ceasing with the end of gestation and the latest with delivery.
Trevor Carnaby discusses geophagia, when animals eat sand/soil
Motivations During Pregnancy
When pregnant, craving and alleviating gastrointestinal upset are the main motives. Many women in Africa predominantly eat maize, cassava and pulses -- but, as Kutalek explains, there are also indications that the soil helps with morning sickness.
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Motivations Among Men
In men, the main reasons for geophagy were craving, hypersalivation, and natural stimulants.
If soil is craved, it can show similarities to a dependency syndrome. When picked up in childhood, geophagy is more likely to be continued throughout life.
Types of Soil Consumed
Usually not every type of soil is consumed, but is selected and picked carefully. In northern Uganda, a variety of soil types are available: soils from red and white termite mounds, sun-dried bricks, burnt bricks, soil from wells, from riverbanks, from swamps, and black clay from markets (bumba).
Pregnant women preferred bricks (seven), Lobo agulu (six), and termite mounds (four), but only two of six pregnant women, who preferred Lobo agulu, could afford it as a main source.
Nonpregnant women and men mainly stick to the consumption of lobo agulu.
Different types of soil. Source: Wikipedia
Potential Health Consequences
However, from a public health perspective, eating soil is questionable -- at least in large quantities. Because, especially in Africa, soil contains a lot of heavy metals such as lead or mercury, which could be particularly harmful to unborn babies but also to their mothers and other adults.
Although geophagia has been practiced for centuries, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. There are many reasons that you should avoid eating dirt.
Authors have raised the hypotheses that geophagy causes iron deficiency and is also a consequence of lack of iron in the body system.
Minnich et al. have come up with the hypothesis that kaolin consumption may keep pregnant women from getting enough calories or the right nutrients during pregnancy.
Results from many context and taxa reveal that the habit of geophagy can potentially tamper with iron levels in the body.
Risks
- Mineral deficiency. Geophagia has been linked to iron deficiencies. When you eat clay, your body can’t absorb iron as well. This may lead to a zinc deficiency.
- Toxic soil. Eating dirt can be dangerous because of what’s in it. Soil may contain heavy metals, human waste, parasites, and other harmful substances.
- Ascariasis. This is a condition common in children who eat dirt in Nigeria. It happens when they become infected with a parasite known as ascarid worms.
Kaolin
Geophagy or geophagia is the habit of consuming clay such as chalk or kaolin.
Kaolin is one of the most abundant clay compound that is also extremely exploited in the world industrially. The highest use of this clay is for paper production, especially in ensuring the gloss in paper grades. Kaolin is also used to make toothpaste, ceramics, cosmetics, white bulbs, paints and to reinforce properties of rubber and in adhesives.
Though some elements in kaolin within certain thresholds can benefit the body nutritionally for functioning and development, some are not essential and might be harmful or toxic instead. The latter are causes of most health challenges encountered during geophagy.
Authors confirmed clay ability to adsorb toxins especially when associated with charcoals.
Management and Recommendations
"It is therefore strongly recommended that consumption be reduced," says Kutalek. The recommendation to stop completely is difficult to implement, because addictive behaviour cannot be changed overnight.
Concerning its management or treatment, Jackson et al. suggest that emphasis should be made on both physiological and psychological aspects of the individual.
If geophagy emanates from a physiological health condition or mineral deficiency, a thorough examination of the individual's medical history will reveal potential issues and deficiencies that will be tackled in the treatment process. On the psychological aspect, they recommend an examination of the individual's social history for psychological diagnosis and treatment which is only secondary to the physiological treatment process but essential be considered.
Some ways you can manage dirt-eating cravings include:
- Ask a friend to keep you accountable
- Tell your doctor
- Make sure you’re getting enough vitamins, iron, and other minerals
- Find chewing alternatives like gum or mints
- Consider talking to your doctor or a mental health professional if you have the urge to eat or have been eating dirt.
| Heavy Metal | Toxicity Level |
|---|---|
| Mercury (Hg) | Strongly toxic |
| Lead (Pb) | Moderately toxic |
| Iron (Fe) | Slightly toxic (if in excess) |
| Copper (Cu) | Strongly toxic |
| Zinc (Zn) | Strongly toxic |
Table of Heavy Metals and Their Toxicity Levels
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