[RWebb]

besides the behavioral issues, lack of high quality food can lead to what is known as "specific nutritional hunger"

low quality food is low in certain nutrients that the body needs - so in order to obtain a req'd level, one must eat a large amount of the low quality food - that means one takes in excess calories

classic examples include lack of iodine in some isolated inland areas of the the US and Europe, as well as dirt eating in the South - particular areas of white or grayish clay soils were defended by family groups from others in some parts of the South as late as the early 20th Century -- analysis showed that these clays were high in micro-nutrients, which were lacking in the surrounding areas of lateritic soils

and BTW if'n I catches any of you in my family's dirt area, you'll become a part of a "long-pig" BBQ