Geophagy: Eating soil could harm babies
Tuesday, April 25, 2017 - 15:02
in Health & Medicine
Up to 80% of people in Africa, especially women, regularly eat clayey soil – this habit is known as geophagy. A previous study has already shown that it is a form of craving. Now researchers have shown that this practice can also be detrimental to health: pregnant women who consume particular types of soil display higher levels of lead contamination – as do their babies.