Annual Diving Report - Divers Alert Network

4. DIVE FATALITIES
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that 35 percent of U.S. adults aged 20 years and
older are classified as overweight (BMI 25 – 29.9 kg/m 2 ) and approximately 30 percent are
classified as obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) (1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey). Among diving fatalities in 2004, 45 percent had BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 (including obese and
morbidly obese in Figure 4.2-2), representing higher proportion than in the National Survey. If the
distributions of obesity in the National Survey and the recreational diving population are similar,
this would suggest that obesity may be a risk factor for death while diving.
Figure 4.2-3 shows the certification levels and gender for 47 male and 10 female fatalities. Most
had open water or advanced certification. Of six student fatalities, three were males and three
females. One had no formal training.
Percent of Fatalities
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Basic
Technical
Advanced
Student
Military
Certification
Instructor
47 Males
10 Females
Commercial
None
Figure 4.2-3 Certification of divers who died (n=57).
Figure 4.2-4 shows the number of years since initial certification. Twenty-five percent had been
certified 10 or more years earlier, and 45 percent had one year or less.
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
10
Number of years diving
Figure 4.2-4 Number of years since initial certification of divers who died (n=57).
Annual Diving Report: 2006 Edition 47