A Teenager’s Fast Food Diet Causes Him To Go Blind

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Bella Breakdown

Health professionals have always said to watch what you eat, but sadly for one teenager that will no longer be possible. After only eating a diet of french fries, Pringles and white bread one teenage boy has lost his sight, according to a case study published in a medical journal.

Scientists from the University of Bristol examined the case of a young patient whose extremely picky eating led to blindness, and are now warning of the dangers of a poor diet. Due to his age, his identity has been withheld, but he reportedly told doctors that he had only eaten fries from the fish and chip shop, Pringles potato chips, white bread, slices of processed ham and sausage since elementary school. He also avoided foods with certain textures.

He wasn’t taking any medication, had a normal BMI and height, and showed no visible signs of malnutrition.

Doctors did, however, discover low vitamin B12 levels and anemia and began treating the patient with vitamin B12 injections and offering dietary advice.

One year later there were signs of hearing loss and vision symptoms, but doctors did not find the cause. According to a statement from the University of Bristol, by the time he reached the age of 17, his vision had worsened to the point of blindness. Doctors then identified vitamin B12 deficiency, low copper and selenium levels, a high zinc level, reduced vitamin D level and bone level density.

“This case highlights the impact of diet on visual and physical health, and the fact that calorie intake and BMI are not reliable indicators of nutritional status,” said study lead author Denize Atan, an ophthalmologist at Bristol Medical School and Bristol Eye Hospital.