Young people less sexually active; Over 75-year-olds having more sex

Netherlands residents had less sex last year than in 2014 when Statistics Netherlands (CBS) started keeping track of this in its Health Survey and Lifestyle Monitor. Young people aged 16 to 25, in particular, were less sexually active, while senior citizens over 75 had more sex.

CBS, in collaboration with the RIVM, Rutgers, and SOA Aids Nederland, surveyed people over age 16 on whether they had sex in the past 12 months. Last year, 70 percent answered “yes” last year, compared to 74 percent in 2014. The decrease was particularly visible in the 16 to 25 age group - 63 percent were sexually active in 2014 and 56 percent last year.

The age group 75 and older was the only one to have more sex in 2022 than in 2014. Last year, 27 percent of senior citizens were sexually active, compared to 16 percent in 2014.

The extent to which people are sexually active depends significantly on their age. Adults in the age group 25 to 45 are the most sexually active, at 87 percent. From the age of 55, the percentage of people having sex decreases.

Men are slightly more likely to be sexually active than women, especially among people over age 55. The difference increases with age and is greatest among over-75-year-olds, where 37 percent of men and 18 percent of women are sexually active.

“A factor here is that older women are more often single than older men,” CBS said. “This has to do with age differences within relationships (the man is often a bit older). In addition, due to women’s higher life expectancy, there are more women than men at an older age.”