Prevalence of geophagy and knowledge about its health effects among native Sub-Saharan Africa, Caribbean and South America healthy adults living in France.

Prevalence of geophagy and knowledge about its health effects among native Sub-Saharan Africa, Caribbean and South America healthy adults living in France. Eat Weight Disord. 2018 Dec 13;: Authors: Decaudin P, Kanagaratnam L, Kmiec I, Nguyen Y, Migault C, Lebrun D, Hentzien M, Bertin E, Drame M, Bani-Sadr F Abstract Geophagy is widespread among women from Sub-Saharan Africa, South America and the Caribbean and may persist in western countries. This practice may be associated with adverse effects such as anaemia, constipation or intestinal occlusion. We aimed to determine the prevalence of geophagy and the level of knowledge about its health effects among healthy adults originating from these countries and attending a travel medicine and international vaccination consultation in France. Among 101 travellers enrolled in the study, 83 (82.1%) were born in Sub-Saharan Africa and 13 (12.8%) in South America or the Caribbean. The mean duration of residence in France was 15.6 ± 10.4 years. Previous or current geophagy was present in 42 travellers [previous geophagy in 31 (30.7%) and current consumption in 11 (10.9%)]; 38 (90.5%) were women. The rate of awareness of harmful effects of geophagy as the risk of iron-deficient anaemia (18.8%) and soil-transmitted intestinal parasitic infections (11.9%) was low overall. Women with previous or current geophagy more often had history of iron therapy compared to those who never consumed, both ...
Source: Eating and weight disorders : EWD - Category: Eating Disorders & Weight Management Authors: Tags: Eat Weight Disord Source Type: research