Question: Why don't scientists know if pica is a cause or a cure and how much scientific research has been put in to pica?

Ee Lyn Lim answered on 20 Jun 2013:

Pica is an interesting case. The word pica describes the condition in which people have cravings to eat things that can’t be eaten, like dirt. Sometimes it’s not actually a disease – sometimes people who are extremely poor and have no food, especially children, just have a need to eat SOMETHING, and it becomes a habit. But sometimes there is actually something wrong with the person that makes them want to eat dirt – even they themselves don’t know why.

If that’s the case, it’s probably something to do with the brain. But the brain is extremely difficult to understand! We’re still working on finding out why we like some things and don’t like others, for no good reason. Scientist don’t understand yet why we have cravings, which is why we don’t know why people crave unusual things. I don’t think much research has gone into pica specifically because we don’t even know where to start. Once we understand more about how the brain works, we’ll probably find the answer!