Pica is On the Rise

Via Scoop.itHealthcare Continuing Education

While hospitalizations for eating disorders are down overall, one category is rising at an alarming rate, says the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. From 1999 to 2009, hospitalizations for patients with an eating disorder called pica jumped a whopping 93 percent. Pica is eating something that is not food–notably in large quantities and on a regular basis. What do people who have pica eat? The list is a long one: ashes, balloons, chalk, metal, grass, crayons, insects, sand, soap, paste, string, plastic, baby powder, paint chips, wallboard, and more.
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