What is feeding intolerance during tube feeding?

Information for the public

Tube feeding is a way of providing nutrition to people of all ages who, for a variety of reasons, cannot eat and drink normally at the time. Tube feeding typically involves a narrow tube being inserted through the nose or mouth directly into the stomach, or sometimes the gut. Sometimes, the tube is inserted directly through a hole made in the wall of the abdomen into the stomach. Once the tube is in place it can be used to deliver liquid food straight into the stomach. This means the person can get enough nutrition without eating or drinking.

Tube feeding is artificial, and bypasses the need to chew. However, chewing food helps food to be digested, and because people don't chew their food when being tube fed, food given in this way can sit in the stomach too long instead of moving into the gut to be absorbed properly. This can make people feel bloated, have stomach cramps, feel sick or be sick, regurgitate food or drink (where it comes back up into the mouth), become constipated or suffer diarrhoea. These symptoms are described as 'feeding intolerance'.