What percentage of nutrient intake should oral intake meet as a general guideline to discontinue enteral feeds?

• A. 50%
• B. 66%
• C. 80%
• D. 90%

Answer: (B)

A common approach is to discontinue enteral feeding once the patient can meet about two-thirds of their estimated nutrient needs with oral intake. This threshold signals that oral intake is becoming the primary source of nutrition and that the patient is ready to transition away from tube feeding, while still allowing time to increase oral intake to full needs if needed. It balances safety and practicality: if only about half of needs are met orally, continuing EN is often necessary to prevent undernutrition; waiting until 80–90% or more can unnecessarily delay weaning. In practice, clinicians assess energy and protein adequacy through intake records and monitoring, then gradually reduce EN as oral intake sustains the majority of needs.