In the UK, a young man developed toxic deficiency optic neuropathy at the age of 17. According to the researchers, this would have been caused by his disastrous diet. For years he had eaten nothing but fries, sausages, white bread and crisps.
It’s common knowledge that “junk food” is bad for your health. And too much junk food can make you blind. A 19-year-old Brit experiences it. By dint of eating only fries and sausages for years, the young man developed a toxic and deficiency optic neuropathy. This disease is characterized by optic neuropathy (the infarction of the optic disc) due to the absorption of toxic substances and/or a nutritional deficiency, explains the journal Anals of Internal Medicine who reported his case on Tuesday, September 3.
It was at seven years old that this boy began to develop unhealthy eating habits. From this age, he stops eating properly and only accepts Pringles crisps, sausages, ham or white bread as a meal, his mother told the British newspaper The Independent. “The first thing we noticed was when he came home from school and he hadn’t touched his meal (…) I was preparing good sandwiches for him with an apple or other fruit and he didn’t want to eat anything,” she says.
From his entry to college at 11 years old, the boy eats almost nothing more than fries bought from a fish and chips vendor. At 14, feeling perpetually exhausted, he consulted a doctor. Although his BMI is normal (he was “skinny as a rake”, according to his mother) and shows no signs of malnutrition, the doctor diagnoses him with vitamin B12 deficiency and prescribes injections as well as dietary advice. .
Advice that he obviously chooses to ignore since a year later, he begins to suffer from hearing and sight problems. The symptoms worsened until he became blind at the age of 17. Doctors then report vitamin deficiencies B12 and vitamin D, an excessively high level of zinc and a low bone density. “His peripheral vision has gradually faded. He cannot drive and has difficulty reading, watching television or discerning faces”, note the researchers from the University of Bristol, authors of the article.
Irreversible damage
According to them, the young man is now suffering from toxic and deficiency optic neuropathy, a very rare disease in industrialized countries. “This case highlights the impact of the diet on physical and mental health, but also the fact that theBMI and calories are not reliable indicators for determining nutritional status,” explains Denize Athanan ophthalmologist in Bristol in charge of the study.
Nutritional optic neuropathy can be cured if diagnosed early. Unfortunately, in this boy’s case, the doctors did not imagine that his disastrous diet could be the cause. Indeed, this disease occurs especially in regions affected by famines. In rich countries, it is often caused by taking drugs or smoking. But alcohol abuse or frequent exposure to toxic substances can also be risk factors. Also, the fact that a teenager from Bristol could come to this because of his diet is exceptional.
“When we were told that the damage was irreversible it was a nightmare,” says the teenager’s mother. Because of his disability, the latter is forced to stop his computer studies. And if today he is better thanks to the vitamins prescribed by the doctors, he still refuses to eat fruits and vegetables, the researchers are sorry.
“Nutrients are extremely important for vision and hearing”
“When this behavior begins in childhood, it tends to persist into adulthood,” says Denize Atan. Indeed, it seems that food restriction or avoidance disorders called ARFID (Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) are the cause of these health problems. This disease involves avoiding certain foods because of their texture, appearance, or smell.
“In general, following a monochromatic and unbalanced diet, especially in children who are growing, leads to deficiencies. They can have serious health effects and create big problems, such as loss of vision” , comments Jean Lalau-Keraly, pediatrician and endocrinologist with The Express.
While this story is unbelievable, researchers fear that such cases are becoming more and more frequent. Obesity and junk food being more and more present in rich countries and especially among young people, scientists encourage doctors to always ask patients about their diet. “Nutrients are extremely important for vision and hearing – but many people are unaware of this,” concludes Denize Athan.
At present, youth obesity is a public health issue. “WHO recognizes that the growing prevalence of childhood obesity is the result of changes in society,” the organization analyzes. Over the past 40 years, the number of obese children and adolescents (aged 5 to 19) has increased tenfold. If this trend continues, by 2022 the number of obese children and adolescents will exceed that of young people who are moderately or severely underweightaccording to a study published in 2017 in the very serious journal The Lancet.
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