why do people eat paper or dirt?

Answer 1

They may suffer from "pica" (sp?). A lot of pregnant women suffer from it & crave dirt, starch, ash. Lots of strange things. It think it is due to a nutritional deficit.

Here, Wikipedia has a good section on it. I only posted the first paragraph...


Pica is an appetite for non-nutritive substances (e.g., coal, soil, chalk, paper etc.) or an abnormal appetite for some things that may be considered foods, such as food ingredients (e.g., flour, raw potato, starch). In order for these actions to be considered pica, they must persist for more than one month, at an age where eating such objects is considered developmentally inappropriate. The condition's name comes from the Latin word for the magpie, a bird which is reputed to eat almost anything. Pica is seen in all ages, particularly in pregnant women and small children, especially among children who are developmentally disabled, where it is the most common eating disorder

Answer 2

Not everyone eats paper or dirt and the people who does have some mental problems.

Answer 3

Well I eat both,

I eat rice paper when I make spring rolls and Dirt Dessert is very nice...
Heres the recipe...

Stick a flower into this dirt dessert in a flower pot to make it look more realistic.
INGREDIENTS:
3 dozen chocolate cookies, cream-filled, broken up
2 packages (3.4 ounces each) vanilla instant pudding
1 carton (8 ounces) whipped topping
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
PREPARATION:
Process cookies in batches in food processor until cookies are fine crumbs, or place cookies in food storage bags and use a rolling pin to crush.
Prepare pudding according to package directions; fold in whipped topping. Combine butter, sugar, and cream cheese in another mixing bowl; beat at medium speed until smooth. Fold into the pudding mixture. Trim top of the whipped topping container to fit the bottom of an 8-inch flower pot.

Set aside 1 1/2 cups crumbs and spoon about 1/3 of the remaining crumbs into the flowerpot. Spread about 1/3 of the pudding mixture over the crumb layer. Repeat layers twice, then top with the reserved crumbs, covering the pudding completely. Cover and chill for 4 hours.

If desired, put a flower in a florist's holder and insert in the pot before serving, or use an artificial flower.

Answer 4

Some people eat paper to fill them so they dont have to eat food. Its a dangerous way to lose wieght. Dirt, I have never heard of people eating it.

Answer 5

Some people have compulsions to eat strange things.

Some people get compulsions to eat dirt for the minerals.

Some people are just weird.

Answer 6

I dont know about dirt but as for paper, well it tastes so darn good. You should have a taste if you havent already

Answer 7

Some people may do it as a compulsion or "pica". But I always thought that this was seen particularly in children. I think it is, in most cases, a way to show off. I had classmates who ate glue and ants.

Answer 8

it's called Pica.
if ur body's lacking in minerals & vitamins.
it can urge u 2 eat the strangest things.

Answer 9

because they are hungry or don't see it in the food they are eating.
Laws allow for a percentage of foriegn matter in our food.

Answer 10

When your pregnant its amazing what you will eat.