Pica is an eating disorder where a person compulsively eats things that aren’t food and don’t have any nutritional value or purpose. Depending on when and why a person does this, pica can be normal, …

No single test confirms pica, but because pica can occur in people who have lower than normal nutrient levels and poor nutrition (malnutrition), the health care provider should test blood levels of iron and zinc.

Oct 22, 2025 · This article explains pica symptoms and health issues that may follow the ingestion of non-food material. It explains common types of pica and their causes, as well as pica treatment.

Oct 24, 2024 · Pica is an eating disorder marked by a persistent feeling or craving that causes you to eat things that have no nutritional value, such as dirt or paint. Most people with the condition have just...

Pica is an eating disorder that involves eating items that are not typically thought of as food and that do not contain significant nutritional value, such as hair, dirt, and paint chips

Dec 9, 2025 · Pica is an eating disorder in which you crave non-food items like dirt, clay, or paper. Your symptoms, medical history, and tests for complications can help a doctor diagnose and treat pica.

Pica is an eating disorder characterized by consuming nonfood substances. Learn the causes, symptoms, cultural factors, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of pica.

Mar 25, 2025 · Pica is an eating disorder that causes people to compulsively eat items that are not considered food or items that have no nutritional value. An eating disorder is considered a mental …

Apr 24, 2023 · People with pica compulsively eat nonfood items with no nutritional value. Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatment.

Jan 10, 2026 · Pica, mental health condition, a type of eating disorder, characterized by the compulsive eating of substances that are not food and that have little or no nutritional value.