Government officials in south China's Guangdong Province are being urged to undergo health checks and take more exercise, following the publication of a report on the state of their fitness.

The study was undertaken by the Guangdong health department to investigate the fitness levels of government officials across the province.

Liao Xinbo, vice-director of the department, said that between 2005 and 2006, 8,199 working and retired officials took physical checkups. Most were found to be in an unhealthy state.

The report found hypertrophy (enlargement) of the prostate was a common complaint in men, while almost 20 percent of women had breast-related problems.

Thirty-four percent of all those taking the test were found to have high blood pressure, while 27 percent had fatty liver diseases.

"Government officials have to deal with a lot of pressure at work as well as handle complicated interpersonal communications and plenty of social activities, so they are more likely to develop these kinds of diseases," Liao said.

Regular health tests for all government officials were introduced this year as part of the provincial health monitoring system, which is used to store health reports for local people.

In Dongguan, the city's sports bureau conducted a health and fitness test for all its government officials last month, which involved them having to do push-ups, sit-ups and standing jumps.

Liu Zhigeng, the secretary of the CPC of the Dongguan Committee, who is in his 50s, managed to complete 28 push-ups in one go, and got a maximum score in the test.

Liu said he only goes to social activities he must attend. At other times, he stays at home with his family, reading newspapers or watching television programs.

"This is the way I keep myself healthy," he said.

When Zhou Yongkang, the minister of public security, visited a police station in Kunming in Yunnan Province, he showed his own fitness by doing 10 push-ups in one go.

He advised police officers to do more physical exercise and keep healthy.

In Zhuhai, about 600 officials were found to have heart problems, following their checkups. Many of them were found to have other problems, as well, such as being overweight.

In response, the local sports department is offering free tai chi and qi gong classes for all officials until the end of the month.

"Lots of individuals and groups have signed up for our free courses," Xu Hui, an official with the Zhuhai sports bureau said.

"However, good health comes from regular physical exercise, not just a few classes."

(China Daily September 7, 2007)