Why on earth?: Evaluating hypotheses about the physiological functions of human geophagy

Young, Sera L.; Sherman, Paul W.; Lucks, Julius B.; Pelto, Gretel H.

Why on earth?: Evaluating hypotheses about the physiological functions of human geophagy

The Quarterly Review of Biology • Vol/Iss. 86(2) • The University of Chicago Press • • Published In 2011 • Pages: 97-120 •

By Young, Sera L., Sherman, Paul W., Lucks, Julius B., Pelto, Gretel H.

Abstract

The author tests various hypotheses regarding cross-cultural occurrence of geophagy, the eating of earth. Nearly 500 years of references to geophagy were compiled into the Database on Human Geophagy, which was then used to examine biological justifications for this little-understood behavior.

Samples
Sample Used	Coded Data	Comment
Standard Cross Cultural Sample (SCCS)	Researcher's own
Database on Human Geophagy (http://journals.uchicago.edu/QRB)	Researcher's own	Original database, derived from various sources

Hypotheses (5)
Hypothesis	Supported
Frequency of geophagy will be associated with nutrient deficiencies (104).	Not Supported
Frequency of geophagy will be associated with gastrointestinal distress (108).	Supported
Frequency of geophagy will be negatively associated with latitude (109).	Supported
Frequency of geophagy will be positively associated with pregnancy (110).	Supported
Frequency of geophagy will be positively associated with periods of food shortage or famine (110).	Not Supported

Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: jack.dunnington

Why on earth?: Evaluating hypotheses about the physiological functions of human geophagy

The Quarterly Review of Biology • Vol/Iss. 86(2) • The University of Chicago Press • • Published In 2011 • Pages: 97-120 • Cite

By Young, Sera L., Sherman, Paul W., Lucks, Julius B., Pelto, Gretel H.

Abstract

Samples

Hypotheses (5)

The Quarterly Review of Biology • Vol/Iss. 86(2) • The University of Chicago Press • • Published In 2011 • Pages: 97-120 •