A large portion of the middle-aged working people in big cities are likely to die from overwork if they don't stop latent overstrain from work and take better care of themselves.

A recent survey on 1,197 middle-aged employees in Shanhgai, Wuxi and Shenzhen shows more than 66 percent are suffering from fatigue and insomnia that are related to the looming "overwork death".

Other symptoms caused by long time of work without rest, such as back and waist pain, also hampers people's health.

About 62 percent of the polled said their back always aching and their waist grieving; 57 percent said they are likely to forget things quickly and their memories are deteriorating; 48 percent confessed they had bad temper and they always feel fretful with no reason.

Analysts said these symptoms goes before the failing in some human organs and sometimes leads to abrupt death at work.

(Eastday 01/23/2001)