Pica is a disease which has the main trait of eating non-food products. Gerald Callahan (2013) wrote an article called “Eating Dirt” which discusses the immunological effects of the pica of eating dirt. There are various types of non-food items people consume that show abnormal behaviour. There are numerous health risks and issues with people eating food not intended to being eaten and in contrast there are also benefits to people from eating certain picas. There are multiple possibilities as to
Food and eating practices are so diverse across different cultures, that often some are perceived as being maladaptive or pathological. Many animals, including humans, have been known to practice geophagy. It is more common for homo sapiens to consume dirt or dirt particles unintentionally, rather than consciously eating it. This is because according to western biomedicine, it is not socially acceptable, and has therefore the act of intentionally eating dirt is pathological. When comparing the average
Ladzekpo, Kobla. "African Music." The Social Mechanics of Good Music: A Description of Dance Clubs among the Anlo Ewe-Speaking People of Ghana 5.1 (1971): 6-22. JSTOR. International Library of African Music. Web. 08 Nov. 2013. . Vermeer, Donald E. Geophagy among the Ewe of Ghana 10.1 (1971): 56-72. JSTOR. University of Pittsburgh- Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. .