TikToker Abby Durlewanger, or House of Keto, has sparked controversy for putting her kids on the low-carb, low-sugar ketogenic diet. While she has tried to give kids a healthier lifestyle, some have gone as far as to send nasty messages to her claiming child abuse.
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Many have shared their dissent on how Durlewanger, 32, has decided to raise her children, but she says they have no issue with the keto lifestyle. Durlewanger herself has maintained a 130-pound weight loss since starting the diet herself in 2016.
"My children are happy and healthy, and they love the keto lifestyle we lead," Durlewanger said to The New York Post. "They're not being deprived of junk food; they're being empowered to make better food choices."
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Durlewanger, a resident of Maryland, decided to stop buying junk food and instead transition her household to a keto lifestyle three years ago. Instead of fast food, doughnuts, or other junk food, she promotes eating lean proteins and high-fat foods.
House of Keto has racked up over half a million followers and 4.7 million likes with close to 9 million views. Her videos show her making keto meals for her daughter Penelope, 11, and son Huxley, 5. Meals include things like chicken lettuce wraps, a mélange of berries, and slices of cheese.
The family even feeds their dog homemade low-carb dishes.
Durlewanger's posts may not always have the friendliest comments as she and her husband Mike have been sent numerous death threats and even people claiming they will Child Protective Services.
"I get at least 100 messages a day from people telling me to kill myself because of the way I feed my family," she said.
Durlwanger shared with The Post that their pediatrician has approved her nutritional practices. She said that people seem to think she is abusing her children by promoting a healthier lifestyle.
"People act like I'm giving my kids alcohol rather than keto-friendly foods," Durlwanger said.
For the Durlwangers, the answer is simple: she will promote her healthy lifestyle instead of one filled with sugar and bad foods while she is raising them.
"If my kids decide to grow up and become sugar addicts, that's fine," she said. "But for the 18 years that I'm responsible for their diet, I'm not serving harmful foods."
The Post spoke with Courtney Glick, a pediatric dietitian at NYU Langone, and she shared that subjecting children to a restrictive diet can reap adverse effects on a child's physical well-being.
Along with the risks of losing out on crucial vitamins and nutrients for children, diets at young ages can also cause stress when it comes to foods that are labeled as "bad." This can lead to eating disorders being developed at a young age.
"We typically don't suggest any diets for kids because food restrictions can create disordered eating patterns," said Glick.
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"The goal isn't to stop them from eating pizza with the crust on occasion or a slice of cake at a friend's birthday party," Durlewanger said. "They do."
Durlewanger said that it also is not about weight loss, as her children have not struggled with obesity.
"It's about giving our kids the tools to build healthy relationships with food by making conscious decisions about what they put in their mouths and how those foods will impact their bodies," she said.
Whether it's met with criticism online or not, House of Keto does not plan to stop what she is doing.
"What type of parent would I be if I let haters on TikTok dictate how I raise my children?" she said.
"We don't post on social media to take a consensus. We do it to inform the world about a lifestyle that works for us."
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