Nutritional Sciences Department, College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech University, P.O. Box 41270, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA; Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Postal Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa.
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Postal Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa.
Physiol Behav. 2017 Aug 1;177:297-304. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.04.012. Epub 2017 Apr 22.
Pica is an increased appetite/craving for food or non-food substances like clay, and chalk, and is strongly associated with iron deficiency (ID) anemia. This study assessed pica practices among non-pregnant mothers and their children, 12-to-59 months, in an anaemia endemic population in Ghana.
A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted in two randomly selected districts in Northern Ghana. The researchers developed semi-structured questionnaires with components on pica practice, history and experiences and administered via structured face-to-face interviews with mothers (N=161) and all their children 6-59 months. Of this population, 132 mothers had children 12-to-59 months (N=139) in April 2012. Pica practice among children was reported by their mothers. Data was analysed using SPSS version 23.0.
Few mothers (3%) spontaneously reported pica (for uncommon food and/or non-food substances) at the time of the interview, however, 16 (12.1%) mothers with pica were confirmed after further probing. Twelve (8.6%) children were reported to have ingested/craved clay/soil/dust (11 / 91.7 %), paper (1 / 7.1%) and chalk (1/7.1%) prior to the interview. One child had poly-pica (pica for two substance). Pica was reported to have been practised by expecting mothers during 37 (26.6%) of the pregnancies of the children involved in the study, and was mostly for clay/soil (33 / 89.1%), kola nut (5 / 3.6%), uncooked rice and bambara beans. Children's pica practices were significantly associated (χ=6.33; p=0.011) with their mothers' pica practices during pregnancy as well as with mothers' pica practices at the time of the study (χ=5.98; p=0.035). A logistic regression analysis seemed to show that pica of the mother during pregnancy was more strongly associated with the child's pica than later pica behaviour of the mother. Many myths and misconceptions associated with the practice of pica were also reported in these communities.
The reported pica practice among mothers and their children was lower than what has been observed in other studies. Knowledge and perceptions regarding pica were mostly inaccurate. Education on pica and associated dangers of its practices should be included in nutrition interventions in communities with known high anemia prevalence.
异食癖是指对食物或非食物物质（如粘土、粉笔）的过度渴望/偏好，与缺铁性贫血（IDA）密切相关。本研究评估了加纳贫血流行地区非孕妇及其 12 至 59 个月大的儿童的异食癖行为。
在加纳北部两个随机选择的地区进行了一项横断面定量调查。研究人员使用半结构式问卷，问卷内容包括异食癖行为、历史和经验等部分，并通过与母亲（N=161）及其所有 6-59 个月大的儿童进行结构化面对面访谈来进行调查。在该人群中，132 名母亲的 12 至 59 个月大的儿童（N=139）于 2012 年 4 月接受了调查。儿童的异食癖行为由其母亲报告。数据使用 SPSS 版本 23.0 进行分析。
很少有母亲（3%）在访谈时自发报告异食癖（食用不常见的食物和/或非食物物质），但进一步询问后发现有 16 名（12.1%）母亲有异食癖。在访谈前，有 12 名（8.6%）儿童报告曾摄入/渴望食用粘土/土壤/灰尘（11/91.7%）、纸（1/7.1%）和粉笔（1/7.1%）。有 1 名儿童有多种异食癖（食用两种物质）。研究中涉及的儿童的母亲在 37 次（26.6%）妊娠期间报告有异食癖，主要是为了吃粘土/土壤（33/89.1%）、可乐果（5/3.6%）、生米和斑豆。儿童的异食癖行为与母亲怀孕期间的异食癖行为（χ=6.33；p=0.011）以及母亲在研究时的异食癖行为（χ=5.98；p=0.035）显著相关。逻辑回归分析似乎表明，母亲怀孕期间的异食癖行为与儿童的异食癖行为比母亲后期的异食癖行为更密切相关。这些社区还报告了许多与异食癖行为相关的神话和误解。
报告的母亲及其子女的异食癖行为低于其他研究观察到的水平。有关异食癖的知识和认知大多不准确。在具有已知高贫血患病率的社区中，应将有关异食癖及其行为相关危险的教育纳入营养干预措施中。
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