Things you wouldn’t believe people eat

Some food obsessions are harmless, however there are others that are unhealthy or harmful, Dr Zac Turner has warned.

There haven’t been any concrete explanations as to why people have food obsessions. Picture: Farhad Ibrahimzade / Unsplash

Welcome to Ask Doctor Zac, a weekly column from news.com.au. This week, Dr Zac Turner explains why dog biscuits aren’t for humans.

Question: Hi Dr Zac, I don’t know how to say this because it’s very embarrassing to admit, so I will just come out and say it – my son loves to eat dog biscuits. It started out with my finding him head first in our dog’s food bowl before dinner, and has ended up with him no longer wanting to eat his normal human food at dinner because he’s filled up on dog biscuits!

I have looked it up on the internet and apparently it’s not dangerous to eat them. Can you confirm whether it’s dangerous to eat dog biscuits? I’m hoping he will grow out of it as he gets older. Might there be a specific explanation for his fascination with doggy dinners? – Anon, Darwin

Is it dangerous for humans to eat dog biscuits? Picture: iStock

Answer: Please know that parents fighting their children over what they eat is a universal issue. You are not alone in that. There exists all kinds of food obsession, especially processed foods with lots of salt (just like dog biscuits).

Many patients have mentioned their child getting stuck into some dog biscuits over the years, and they have all grown out of it so I’m sure your child will do the same.

Now please don’t get alarmed but there is some very interesting research that has connected long term eating of dog food biscuits with a range of medical issues, including some forms of cancer. As I say though, a few biscuits here and there for a few weeks is not going to cause any upset other than maybe one in the tummy.

Although it’s ‘not dangerous’ to eat dog food, I wouldn’t say it’s healthy. Picture: M Burke / Unsplash

Dog biscuits, like many types of pet food, have become more and more complex and targeted towards specific animals. This could be why many pets are living longer, as we’re supplying a lot more of their dietary needs.

I was quite surprised though to find that since I wrote about this topic almost a decade ago, now many pet foods are typically highly processed, and not derived from natural foods.

Although it’s ‘not dangerous’ to eat dog food, I wouldn’t say it’s healthy. Dog food, as the name suggests, is not meant for human consumption. Man’s best friend has different nutritional requirements to a growing young human.

Man’s best friend has different nutritional requirements to a growing young human. Picture: iStock

Dog biscuits may contain high levels of protein or fat, which can be difficult for humans to digest and may cause gastrointestinal upset. Additionally, some dog biscuits may contain artificial colours, flavours or preservatives that are not approved for human consumption and could potentially be harmful.

This situation is classified as a ‘food obsession’. They are described as intense desires to eat specific foods, food groups, or sometimes atypical, unusual objects. You may have seen the show My Strange Addiction – this series is a case study on food obsessions. I remember one episode where a woman had a compulsion to eat mattresses. There was another episode where someone loved eating rocks!

The ABC series My Strange Addiction included a woman addicted to eating mattresses. Picture: YouTube

Some food obsessions are harmless, however there are others that are unhealthy or harmful as they can lead to nutrient deficiencies.

There haven’t been any concrete explanations as to why people have food obsessions, but one possible reason is that certain foods trigger the brain’s reward system, causing a release of dopamine. This forms a positive feedback loop, and your brain associates this food with pleasure and satisfaction leading to a strong desire to eat the food.

You may know someone who has an obsession with eating ice or dirt. This is actually linked to a condition called Pica, which is caused by iron deficiencies. Hormonal imbalances also cause food cravings, which is why pregnant women sometimes crave strange things.

There’s also an emotional and psychological factor in food obsessions. People may crave certain foods to cope with stress or anxiety, as a means of self-soothing.

I recommend you take your son to a health professional and get to the root of the food obsession, as it could be a symptom of a more serious condition.

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Dr Zac Turner has a bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery from the University of Sydney. He is both a medical practitioner and a co-owner of telehealth service, Concierge Doctors. He was also a registered nurse and is also a qualified and experienced biomedical scientist along with being a PhD candidate in biomedical engineering

Originally published as Things you wouldn’t believe people eat