Blindness Caused by a Junk Food Diet
Authors: Rhys Harrison, Vicki Warburton, Andrew Lux, Denize Atan
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2019)

Letters3 December 2019Blindness Caused by a Junk Food DietRhys Harrison, Vicki Warburton, PhD, Andrew Lux, PhD, and Denize Atan, PhDRhys HarrisonBristol Eye Hospital, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom (R.H.), Vicki Warburton, PhDUniversity Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom (V.W.), Andrew Lux, PhDBristol Royal Hospital for Children, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom (A.L.), and Denize Atan, PhDBristol Eye Hospital, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, and Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (D.A.)Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L19-0361 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Background: Popular media have highlighted the risks for poor cardiovascular health, obesity, and cancer associated with junk food, but poor nutrition can also permanently damage the nervous system, particularly vision.Objective: To alert clinicians of visio risks associated with a diet restricted to junk food.Case Report: A 14-year-old boy presented to his family practitioner with tiredness. He was a “fussy eater” but was otherwise well and took no medications. Tests found macrocytic anemia and low vitamin B12 level but no antibodies to intrinsic factor or tissue transglutaminase. He was treated with vitamin B12 injections and dietary advice.At age ...References1. Grzybowski A, Zülsdorff M, Wilhelm H, et al. Toxic optic neuropathies: an updated review. Acta Ophthalmol. 2015;93:402-10. [PMID: 25159832] doi:10.1111/aos.12515 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Pineles SL, Wilson CA, Balcer LJ, et al. Combined optic neuropathy and myelopathy secondary to copper deficiency. Surv Ophthalmol. 2010;55:386-92. [PMID: 20451943] doi:10.1016/j.survophthal.2010.02.002 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Stabler SP. Clinical practice. Vitamin B12 deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2013;368:149-60. [PMID: 23301732] doi:10.1056/NEJMcp1113996 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Darmon N, Drewnowski A. Contribution of food prices and diet cost to socioeconomic disparities in diet quality and health: a systematic review and analysis. Nutr Rev. 2015;73:643-60. [PMID: 26307238] doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuv027 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Mairs R, Nicholls D. Assessment and treatment of eating disorders in children and adolescents. Arch Dis Child. 2016;101:1168-75. [PMID: 27381185] doi:10.1136/archdischild-2015-309481 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Bristol Eye Hospital, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom (R.H.)University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom (V.W.)Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom (A.L.)Bristol Eye Hospital, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, and Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (D.A.)Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=L19-0361.This article was published at Annals.org on 30 September 2019. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoBlindness Caused by a Junk Food Diet Alison M.R. Castle , Pranesh Chakraborty , and Michael Geraghty Blindness Caused by a Junk Food Diet Rhys Harrison , Vicki Warburton , Andrew Lux , and Denize Atan Metrics Cited byA High Fat “Western‐style” Diet Induces AMD‐Like Features in Wildtype MiceLiver-Brain Axis in Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease: Role of Ten Signature Genes in a Mouse Model58. Case ReportAvoidant/Restrictive Food Intake DisorderLeveraging nutrition for food security: the integration of nutrition in the four pillars of food securityBlindness Caused by a Junk Food DietAlison M.R. Castle, BSc, MD, Pranesh Chakraborty, MD, and Michael Geraghty, MB, MScChallenges and opportunities in the diagnosis of nutritional optic neuropathyTeenager diagnosed with optic neuropathy resulting from poor diet despite normal BMI 3 December 2019Volume 171, Issue 11Page: 859-861KeywordsBody mass indexDietEatingFolic acidFoodNutritionOptic neuropathyVisionVitamin B12 deficiencyVitamin D deficiency ePublished: 30 September 2019 Issue Published: 3 December 2019 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2019 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...