Other Significant Hazards: Food-Related Choking

Food is the most common cause of choking-related injuries and fatalities in humans. A food's physical characteristics affect the probability, nature, and severity of food choking incidents. Cylindrical or spherical foods can effectively plug the airway and are often associated with fatalities. Pliability or elasticity increases risk by enabling the foods to conform and maintain contact with the airway wall. Foods such as seeds and nuts are more commonly associated with injury than fatality. They are small, sometimes slippery, and potentially conducive to loss of oral control, particularly when large numbers are placed in the mouth at once. However, they often are too small or flat to completely block the airway. Children represent the largest at-risk group for food choking, with incidents peaking between ages 1 and 2 years. Lack of experience and immature dentition contribute to children's susceptibility to food-related choking.