In 2022, there were around 5,554 choking deaths in the United States. Death from choking is more common among the elderly with food most often responsible for such incidents.
The use of abdominal thrusts, or the Heimlich Maneuver, is suggested to dislodge objects and prevent suffocation.
Choking is also hazardous among young children. Young children are not only in danger of choking on food, but also of choking on small objects, such as toys with small parts. Choking, strangulation, or suffocation are some of the leading reasons for the recall of children’s products in the United States. The other most common reasons for such recalls include the danger of bodily harm and risk of flammability, burn or electric shock.
Number of deaths due to choking in the United States from 1945 to 2022*
* Choking is the inhalation of food or other object obstructing breathing.
Figures for 2022 are preliminary.
The release date represents the date figures were accessed.
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National Safety Council. (April 16, 2024). Number of deaths due to choking in the United States from 1945 to 2022* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/527321/deaths-due-to-choking-in-the-us/
National Safety Council. "Number of deaths due to choking in the United States from 1945 to 2022*." Chart. April 16, 2024. Statista. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/527321/deaths-due-to-choking-in-the-us/
National Safety Council. (2024). Number of deaths due to choking in the United States from 1945 to 2022*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 16, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/527321/deaths-due-to-choking-in-the-us/
National Safety Council. "Number of Deaths Due to Choking in The United States from 1945 to 2022*." Statista, Statista Inc., 16 Apr 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/527321/deaths-due-to-choking-in-the-us/
National Safety Council, Number of deaths due to choking in the United States from 1945 to 2022* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/527321/deaths-due-to-choking-in-the-us/ (last visited October 16, 2024)
Number of deaths due to choking in the United States from 1945 to 2022* [Graph], National Safety Council, April 16, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/527321/deaths-due-to-choking-in-the-us/