Epidemiology
The prevalence of pica is difficult to establish because of differences in definition and the reluctance of patients to admit to abnormal cravings and ingestion. Thusly leading to the prevalence recordings of pica being in the range of 8% and 65% depending on the study. A study published in 1994 found that 8.1% of pregnant African-American women in the United States self-reported pagophagia, the ingestion of large quantities of ice and freezer frost. A study conducted in 1991 found a prevalence of pica in 8.8% of pregnant women in Saudi Arabia. Rates of pica among pregnant women in developing countries, however, can be much higher, with estimates of 63.7% and 74.0% reported for two different African populations. This is due to different cultural norms as well as greater levels of malnutrition. Two studies of mentally retarded adults living in institutions found that 21.8% and 25.8% of these groups suffered from pica. Prevalence rates for children with and without developmental disabilities are unknown.
Read more about this topic: Pica (disorder)