[Pica--a qualitative appetite disorder]

Pica is the collective term for any form of qualitative disorder of eating behaviour. If a patient's deviant appetite is fixated on one special object, there are quite a number of corresponding terms available (e.g. geophagia for eating dirt). Pica, although a ubiquitous phenomenon, shows heightened prevalence in certain high-risk populations, i.e. infants, pregnant women, the mentally retarded, special ethnic groups and psychiatric patients. The author briefly summarizes the medical history of the pica concept and the present state of knowledge concerning aetiology and pathogenesis. The numerous possible complications and various therapeutic approaches are pointed out.