'Body count' number that each age group says is 'unacceptable'

A new survey reveals that body count does still matter to certain people across the UK.

It's a fairly ancient belief, but certain people in 2026 still believe that the number of people you've slept with holds some bearing in a potential relationship.

Obviously, this is widely accepted to be untrue, despite past centuries of obsession with remaining celibate.

The belief has particularly been aimed at women over the years, with virginity often signalling that a possible partner was 'pure', an idea which has seen a resurgence in toxic masculinity culture.

The likes of Andrew Tate have, unfortunately, contributed to ideologies such as this, and it seems like parts of the nation agree.

A new survey has revealed that 29 percent of Brits believe body count 'matters' when it comes down to the nitty gritty, with people still considering it a factor when finding a long-term partner.

While Gen Z are believed to be the most liberated generation, they are quite picky (Getty Stock Image)

The Lovehoney survey revealed that women are actually more bothered than men when it comes to finding a partner with a 'low' body count.

In fact, just 22 percent of men are concerned with this detail, while 27 percent of women think about it.

On the whole, Brits don't seem to consider it as a make or break factor, as 69 percent of people said they didn't care at all - but what if we focus in on the specific age groups?

Well, it turns out that different generations have their own expectations, and the results are more surprising than you'd think.

Ages 18 to 24 - three to five

The survey shockingly revealed that Gen Z individuals are quite particular about how many people their partner may have slept with.

42 percent of those in this age bracket said that body count matters, with three to five people ideal.

Sex and relationship expert Annabelle Knight told Metro: "What really stands out to me is that younger people, especially Gen Z, seem to be navigating a tension between ideals and acceptance."

She said that while they say they'd prefer someone with less experience, they would also openly claim they 'don't care' about body count.

The introduction of dating apps may have been a detrimental addition to the dating world (Getty Stock Image)

Ages 25 to 34 - three to five

Older Gen Z members and younger millennials also aren't what you'd call open-minded.

Just 23 percent of this age group said they don't care about body count, with three to five sexual partners once again being highlighted as being ideal.

Annabelle attributed this to growing up with a hyper-performative dating culture, where every aspect is judged.

"Body count becomes a way of trying to control this uncertainty, even though it tells you absolutely nothing about someone’s capacity to love, communicate or be faithful," she explained.

Hook-up culture and sex movies like American Pie or even Fifty Shades of Grey can normalise the idea of being sexually liberated, though at the risk of feeling shamed.

Ages 35 to 54 - three to 10

This age group are 'most likely to be in long-term relationships or raising families', according to the expert.

She highlighted that people from 35 to 45 often look for something stable, potentially even having kids from previous relationships, meaning they are the most cautious when finding a new partner.

Annabella said body count then, can be used to 'gauge compatibility, reliability and whether someone fits into their wider life'.

Surprisingly, older people don't seem to care too much (Getty Stock Image)

Ages 55 to 64 - five to 10

Only 15 percent of this generation say that they care about body count, with this older group preferring an average of five to 10 sexual partners in a potential relationship.

This does though, average out to around two partners for each decade of their life.

Aged 65 and over - three to five

Completing the full circle, a huge 84 percent of these baby boomers say they don't care about body count, despite saying that the ideal number is three to five sexual partners.

It should be noted that this is the same generation who started to discover their sexuality in the 1960s and 70s, a time of peace, love and liberation.

This is also when the contraceptive pill was introduced in Britain.

Annabelle noted that older people have likely 'lived through those messy, meaningful, long-term experiences', so not much matters to them when it comes to the subject.