A Dutch study has suggested that the frequency of sex within couples has lowered on a global scale. The majority of couples over 25 years old have sex only three times per month.
In 2004, a study carried out by sexual health doctor Harry Fish showed that couples aged between 30 and 50 years old had sex on average twice a week. However, a recent study carried out in the Netherlands estimates that five out of six people have sex no more than three times a month.
The study took the form of a survey carried out on 17,000 people, who were asked questions about their sex lives, to which they had to give very detailed responses. Other statistics were also extracted from the data: 84% of men and 67% of women admitted to masturbating. 40% of men reported masturbating every week, compared to 14% of women.
According to the results, this reduction in libido could be linked to age. 85% of the participants aged between 25 and 29 claimed to have had sex during the previous six months. Among people aged 70 and over, 51% responded in the affirmative, 62% of whom were in a relationship.
Interviewed by the Dutch radio station Radio 1, a therapist called Rika Ponet estimated that the lowered libido reflected in the numbers could be due to several factors. Firstly, it is possible that the people surveyed were more honest in their responses than people in previous studies. Additionally, the expert made a link between the craze for watching television series (notably on Netflix), explaining that after having spent hours staring at their favourite series, people were likely to be showing signs of fatigue, and be left with less motivation to make love.
Obviously, this study is to be taken with a pinch of salt given the therapist’s take on it, but also in terms of the population sample that participated in the study. No doubt that the sexual activity of 17,000 Dutch people cannot translate to a global trend!
