City life damages sperm count, study shows

Rome: City life has caused a decrease in the sperm count in young Italian men, says a new study by the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexuality Medicine (SIAMS).

By pooling the results of three studies, the Rome-based organisation concluded that more than 33 percent of men aged between 18 and 20 years suffer from a severe loss of sperm to urban factors like pollution and smoking.

The study was financed by the Italian health ministry.

City life also promotes a sedentary lifestyle, and obesity also negatively impacts sperm count, the study said.

"It`s worth reminding youths because they are completely ignorant about the risk to fertility," it said.

IANS