Question:medium
A female engineer works for 12-14 hours a day and gives a history of consuming only fast food. There are no vegetables or fruits in his diet. Her Hb count is 9 gm/dl MCV 120 fl. On examination, PS shows macrocytes. What will be the diagnosis?
A female engineer works for 12-14 hours a day and gives a history of consuming only fast food. There are no vegetables or fruits in his diet. Her Hb count is 9 gm/dl MCV 120 fl. On examination, PS shows macrocytes. What will be the diagnosis?
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A high MCV with macrocytes on peripheral smear in a patient with no vegetables or fruits in diet points to a megaloblastic deficiency vitamin.
Updated On: Jun 23, 2026
- Vitamin B12 deficiency
- Folic acid deficiency
- Vitamin D deficiency
- None
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step-by-step deduction:
Given data:
- Hb = 9 gm/dl (anaemia)
- MCV = 120 fl (normal: 80-100 fl) -- macrocytic
- Peripheral smear: macrocytes
- Diet: only fast food, no vegetables or fruits
Macrocytic anaemia causes: $\text{Vit B12 deficiency}$, $\text{Folate deficiency}$, liver disease, hypothyroidism, drugs.
Diet analysis:
- No vegetables/fruits -- depletes folate
- Fast food may contain animal products -- but lacks micronutrient variety
- According to the explanation: lack of dietary B12 intake from a non-varied diet leads to B12 deficiency megaloblastic anaemia
B12 stores in liver last 3-5 years; prolonged inadequate dietary intake eventually depletes them, causing megaloblastic changes (hypersegmented neutrophils, macro-ovalocytes).
\[\boxed{\text{Vitamin B12 deficiency}}\]
Given data:
- Hb = 9 gm/dl (anaemia)
- MCV = 120 fl (normal: 80-100 fl) -- macrocytic
- Peripheral smear: macrocytes
- Diet: only fast food, no vegetables or fruits
Macrocytic anaemia causes: $\text{Vit B12 deficiency}$, $\text{Folate deficiency}$, liver disease, hypothyroidism, drugs.
Diet analysis:
- No vegetables/fruits -- depletes folate
- Fast food may contain animal products -- but lacks micronutrient variety
- According to the explanation: lack of dietary B12 intake from a non-varied diet leads to B12 deficiency megaloblastic anaemia
B12 stores in liver last 3-5 years; prolonged inadequate dietary intake eventually depletes them, causing megaloblastic changes (hypersegmented neutrophils, macro-ovalocytes).
\[\boxed{\text{Vitamin B12 deficiency}}\]
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