In Japan, it is traditional to celebrate the New Year by eating a delicious, sticky rice cake called mochi. But studies show a spike in choking deaths on New Year's Day, particularly among elderly people.
Tatsuya Norii, an emergency medicine doctor and researcher at UNM, is from Japan and loves mochi.
"It's my favorite food, it's really tasty," he told KUNM. But he hates choking, and mochi is a key culprit.
"That's one of the very common reasons people die from choking," he said. A 2021 study published in the Journal of Epidemiology found about 4,000 people a year choke to death on food in Japan.
So Norii and his collaborators began a project in Japan called the Multi-Center Observational Choking Investigation, or MOCHI, to study people who came into emergency departments because of choking.
The investigation looked at people who received some kind of intervention from a bystander and found that they had lower rates of brain damage and death.
"So, that's encouraging," said Norii.
The resulting study, published this year, also analyzed what the best intervention is. It found that the Heimlich maneuver, invented in the 1970s by Dr. Henry Heimlich, may not be the best initial step. Although the maneuver — a sharp, upward abdominal thrust — does help, it is difficult to perform and it can cause organ damage and other injuries.
Back slaps, on the other hand, are effective, easy and less risky, said Norii.
Norii's research aligns with what organizations including the Red Cross have been observing and recommending for about 20 years. But some debate continues and he said his study is helping to base those recommendations on real data.
"Many people have opinions, but many people don't have research or any evidence," he said.
Norii said if you see someone choking, find out if they're able to make any sound and, if so, encourage them to cough. Then, do some firm slaps on the back with the heel of your hand. If that doesn't work, try the Heimlich maneuver — though not on a baby or someone who is pregnant.
According to the Red Cross, in cases of serious choking where a person is silent, or squeaking, call 911 before taking any action.
