Eating chalk

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H

hoyaguru

Senior member
Jun 9, 2003
893
3
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My friend has a wife who he met online, she is from the Ukraine. She came over here about 3 years ago, and we had fun introducing her to the American way. Once while we were out shopping, she got very excited when she found a box of chalk. Regular white chalk, like you use on a blackboard. She grabbed several boxes, and in her broken English, she explained that she wanted to eat it. We were sure she was confused, and thought that the chalk was something else, but no, it was exactly what she wanted. She eats it.

She just went home to the Ukraine to visit her family, and had a bit of an altercation when she flew back. Seems she was picked for a random luggage search. They found a plastic bag with over a pound of chalk, and they thought it was cocaine. My friend had a hell of a time explaining to them why she needed so much chalk.

Anyone ever hear of this? I've done a bit of traveling around the world, but this is a new one on me.
 
amdskip

amdskip

Lifer
Jan 6, 2001
22,530
13
81
I have a teacher who loves to eat chalk evidently and gets covered in it every class but thats not quite the same thing.
 
Kyteland

Kyteland

Diamond Member
Dec 30, 2002
5,747
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? :confused:

Now, I've told people about eating chalk as a "folk remedy" just to see if I could get them to eat it, but are you serious? It would have no nutritional value. I don't even think you body can process the calcium in it (it's in a non-degestible form) so what good would it do you to eat it?
 
E

eigen

Diamond Member
Nov 19, 2003
4,000
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She prolly has aenemia or some other deficiency.Here in the south there are large groups of black women that consume clay and also dirt.The same goes with white women who eat ice.
 
DingDingDao

DingDingDao

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2004
3,044
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It's called Pica. It's a psychological condition in which people eat inedible objects. Usually they are powdery, chunky, substances, such as chalk, dirt, soot, scrapings from brick, etc. etc. Happens a lot in small children and pregnant women. Is your friend's wife pregnant?
 
H

hoyaguru

Senior member
Jun 9, 2003
893
3
81
SHe's very thin, I'm guessing over there there isn't a lot to eat, and chalk fills you up?
 
P

PanzerIV

Diamond Member
Dec 19, 2002
6,875
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Mmm mmmm. Right now I am looking up gourmet dishes I can make with chalk for dinner tonight! Maybe I'll go the cheap route and get a Swanson's Hungry Man Chalk in a Box t.v. dinner.
 
B

Bryophyte

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
13,430
13
81
Originally posted by: hoyaguru
SHe's very thin, I'm guessing over there there isn't a lot to eat, and chalk fills you up?
Click to expand...

That has nothing to do with it. Read DingDingDao's post. It usually is related to vitamin/mineral deficiencies and is something that she should talk to her doctor about.
 
D

djheater

Lifer
Mar 19, 2001
14,637
2
0
Potentially a calcium deficiency.

She has developed a craving for something she's not getting enough of...
 
moshquerade

moshquerade

No Lifer
Nov 1, 2001
61,504
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Originally posted by: DingDingDao
It's called Pica. It's a psychological condition in which people eat inedible objects. Usually they are powdery, chunky, substances, such as chalk, dirt, soot, scrapings from brick, etc. etc. Happens a lot in small children and pregnant women. Is your friend's wife pregnant?
Click to expand...
yep, that's it.

 
D

djheater

Lifer
Mar 19, 2001
14,637
2
0
Originally posted by: moshquerade
Originally posted by: DingDingDao
It's called Pica. It's a psychological condition in which people eat inedible objects. Usually they are powdery, chunky, substances, such as chalk, dirt, soot, scrapings from brick, etc. etc. Happens a lot in small children and pregnant women. Is your friend's wife pregnant?
Click to expand...
yep, that's it.
Click to expand...

If pica is defined as eating non-nutritive substances this does not qualify. It's like eating Tums or Rolaids... really.

You'd have to be careful with the chalk brand though, some aren't made with chalk.
 
DingDingDao

DingDingDao

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2004
3,044
0
71
Originally posted by: djheater
Originally posted by: moshquerade
Originally posted by: DingDingDao
It's called Pica. It's a psychological condition in which people eat inedible objects. Usually they are powdery, chunky, substances, such as chalk, dirt, soot, scrapings from brick, etc. etc. Happens a lot in small children and pregnant women. Is your friend's wife pregnant?
Click to expand...
yep, that's it.
Click to expand...

If pica is defined as eating non-nutritive substances this does not qualify. It's like eating Tums or Rolaids... really.

You'd have to be careful with the chalk brand though, some aren't made with chalk.
Click to expand...

I think it still qualifies as pica, under the same premise that eating dirt (which has a small amount of nutritive value) is a characteristic of pica.
 
D

djheater

Lifer
Mar 19, 2001
14,637
2
0
Originally posted by: DingDingDao
Originally posted by: djheater
Originally posted by: moshquerade
Originally posted by: DingDingDao
It's called Pica. It's a psychological condition in which people eat inedible objects. Usually they are powdery, chunky, substances, such as chalk, dirt, soot, scrapings from brick, etc. etc. Happens a lot in small children and pregnant women. Is your friend's wife pregnant?
Click to expand...
yep, that's it.
Click to expand...

If pica is defined as eating non-nutritive substances this does not qualify. It's like eating Tums or Rolaids... really.

You'd have to be careful with the chalk brand though, some aren't made with chalk.
Click to expand...

I think it still qualifies as pica, under the same premise that eating dirt (which has a small amount of nutritive value) is a characteristic of pica.
Click to expand...

You're probably right...

I agree that from the description it does sound like compulsive behavior.
 
H

hoyaguru

Senior member
Jun 9, 2003
893
3
81
I should mention, she's not the only one. She says that everyone eats it where she comes from. I have no way to confirm this. She's from Zaparoja (sp?) in the Ukraine, a very poor place.
 
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