As well? In 40 years, men's sperm count fell 50%

Sperm counts performed on men from America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand over the past 40 years have shown that the number of reproductive cells, sperm, has decreased by more than 50% over this period.

This data was released through a recent study published in the journal Human Reproduction Update. The survey evaluated examinations of nearly 43, 000 men from 50 different countries, who provided semen samples between 1973 and 2011.

In addition to sperm count, the study analyzed data such as age, time without sex, and geographic location. While men from several western countries had a 50% decline in reproductive cell counts, men from South America, Asia and Africa remained on the normal count, however.

But why?

For the researchers, this perceived decrease among many of the men surveyed may be related to the increase in some health problems. Just to give you an idea, a study by Harvard scientists in 2015 found that men who ate foods with more pesticides, such as strawberries, spinach and peppers, produced less sperm than men who ate foods that were less affected by pesticides, such as avocado, cabbage and orange.

Other health problems that decrease male fertility include obesity and stress - both of which are prevalent in countries that have had large differences in sperm analysis.

"This study is an urgent alert for researchers and health officials around the world to investigate the causes of the sharp drop in sperm count, " warned one of the study's officials, Hagai Levine, in a statement published in Reader's Digest.

The tip for men who intend to have children, in addition to medical monitoring when necessary, is to improve the quality of life, practicing physical activities, losing weight and betting on organic foods. Abandoning unhealthy habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption is also a good attitude.