All you need to know about sex life

New Delhi: In a country where the people are fairly uncomfortable with the mention of the word 'sex', an increasing number of sexual disorders, divorces and extra-marital affairs are being reported.

"Problems related to sex were due to changing food habits, lack of exercise, unusual work hours and more stress," PTI quoted P Ganesan Adaikan, a professor in Singapore National University and former president of International Society for Sexual Medicine, as saying.

Professor Adaikan, who was in Chennai to attend the second international conference on sexology, added that a sedentary lifestyle, increasing stress in modern life and change in food habits — lack of fibre and protein rich foods and excess of carbohydrates and fats — were primary reasons for causing most sexual disorders.

Adaikan said that accumulation of fats inhibits muscle relaxants and affects flow of blood resulting in erectile dysfunction.

In order to contain the alarming rate at which sexual disorders are rising, youngsters should be taught to change their food habits and lifestyle. Regular exercises and techniques of relaxation should be encouraged for reducing fats and obesity problems.

Adaikan pointed out that a large segment of those suffering from such disorders were people working in BPOs. "Sexual transmitters like non-adrenergic substances would be secreted more during nights. When night is lost in work, the most suitable time for sex life is lost, leading to broken marriages and unhappy married lives," he added.

Dr T Kamaraj of the Indian Institute of Sexual Medicine stated that almost three crore men below the age of 50 had been affected by erectile dysfunction and this figure was likely to go up to 10 crore in another decade.

Among other eminent sexologists present at the conference were Dr Prakash Kothari. He said, "sugar, smoke, scotch and stress are the four 's' letter words we should avoid to succeed in sex".

Dr Kothari said that nicotine content in cigarettes are harmful to sexual life as it hinders free flow of blood and lead to erectile dysfunction. Alcoholism too, he added, increases fat and reduces sexual performance.