Chinese officials are seriously stressed, said a scholar on Thursday.

"Increasing job and social stress is having a major impact on the health of government officials in China, many of whom have become "hyper-irritable" because of the fast working pace they have to put up with," said Zhang Kan, director of the Institute of Psychology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the think tank of the Chinese government.

Zhang said hyperirritability leads to problems such as menstrual pain in women and erectile dysfunction in men, asthma, diabetes and osteoporosis.

More than 100 officials from 38 central government departments attended a lecture on psychological health given by Zhang here on Thursday.

Zhang gave the gathered officials some advice on how to release pressure and stay healthy. Knowing how to prioritize was one key but Zhang also spoke about the importance of getting sufficient sleep and physical exercise and a good diet. On the emotional and social side, he pointed to the importance of having friends, family, a sense of humor and knowing how to express one's feelings.

Another survey conducted recently by a U.S. pharmaceutical firm and the China Population Communication Center shows that about 30 percent of middle-aged couples in China have given up on sex altogether as a result of physical or psychological problems related to stress from their life and careers.

(Xinhua News Agency April 6, 2007)