Final answer:
A hypertonic tube feeding formula can cause diarrhea in a patient by drawing water into the intestines, leading to an increase in stool water content and frequency. Therefore the correct answer is option 4.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a patient receiving an enteral feeding develops diarrhea, the characteristic of the tube feeding formula that may have precipitated the diarrhea is that it may be hypertonic. When tube feeding formulas are hypertonic, they have a higher osmolality compared to the body's fluids. This difference can cause water to move into the intestines, leading to diarrhea as the body attempts to dilute and balance the high concentration of solutes present in the hypertonic solution.