To the inventors of the “ketogenic nutrition diet” also known as the tube feed diet,

To the inventors of the “ketogenic nutrition diet” also known as the tube feed diet,

                While scrolling through my news feed, I came across an extremely disturbing article. I had briefly heard about this new “diet” in the past, but it seems to be spreading like wild fire again. I am talking about your so called “diet” that consists of placing a nasogastric feeding tube in a morbidly obese person where they are only allowed to eat through the tube with tube feeding in order to lose weight. I have found this to not only be insulting and disrespectful to me, but many other people I know that struggle with the diseases that I suffer from.

                A few years ago I recall seeing this format being used to brides to “shed pounds quickly before their weddings.” Now it is being used to “promise weight loss in just 10 days.”

                Why is this so offensive and wrong? Because there are people who actually NEED feeding tubes in order to survive.  They need those nutrients via tube or else they would starve too death-literally.

                I have had a feeding tube in for the past 5 years, although my first one was in 8 years ago. What first caused me to need a feeding tube was the fact that I was dealing with a life threatening eating disorder- anorexia nervosa. I mentally could not take in the nutrition so the doctors placed this as a means of “force feeding.” Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of ANY psychiatric illness, killing 30% of its victims. It is also the number one cause of death for females ages 15-24. Every day, 23 people DIE from an eating disorder.  In this past year alone, I personally known 13 people who have died as a direct result of their eating disorder.  

                The main reason I have a feeding tube now is because of another medical illness I deal with- gastroparesis. I was diagnosed with gastroparesis 4 years ago and it has only gotten worse since the diagnosis. Gastroparesis means “paralysis of the stomach” it is also known as delayed gastric emptying. My stomach can no longer digest food properly. If I were to eat anywhere near a normal amount, I would start vomiting and have severe stomach pain. The kind of feeding tube I have in right now is an NJ, similar to the NG where is goes in through my nose, but by passes my stomach and ends in my small bowel so I can receive lifesaving nutrients. Without this tube, I would die.

                A feeding tube is not glamorous, or a cure for someone who over eats. It is the exact opposite. The purpose for feeding tubes are for people who CANNOT eat for one reason or another. The purpose is to sustain a person’s life, just like a pace maker in someone who has cardiac issues. Not to mention placing a tube for the wrong reasons poses unnecessary risks for infection or other medical complications.

I understand your intentions may be good, to help out the obese community. But you are going about this in the wrong way for multiple reasons.

Sincerely, 

a girl who needs a feeding tube to survive.