London - Ask a man in his 50s about his ideal woman, and chances are she would be half his age.
And if a 20-year-old described his dream date, he’d probably choose someone a little bit older.
For, according to a study, no matter how old a man is he always hankers after a woman in her mid-20s.
But, while the odd celebrity may enjoy some success – such as 47-year-old actor Jason Statham, who is dating model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 27 – most men’s daydreams do not match their reality, as their wife or girlfriend is more likely to be close to them in age.
Women seem to be a little more realistic, as they tend to fancy men their own age or slightly older. They are more likely to get their way, too, with most of those surveyed in relationships with men a year or two older.
Finnish researchers asked more than 12 500 men and women about the age of their partner and the age of the people they felt most attracted to or fantasised about.
The magic number for men of all ages was around 24 or 25, since older men preferred younger women and those in their late teens or early 20s fancied slightly older women.
The researchers believe evolution has programmed men to desire women in their mid-20s because they are highly fertile, meaning they have the highest odds of bearing the man’s child and passing on his genes.
Women are programmed very differently. The study, in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, found women think men their own age or slightly older are the most attractive. The biggest age gap was for women in their late teens and early 20s, who fancied men around four years older.
Researcher Jan Antfolk, of Abo Akademi University in Turku, south Finland, said a slightly older male is more likely to have the money and stability to bring up a family than a younger man.
And although a much older “sugar daddy” may have more money, he is more likely to die while his family are still young. - Daily Mail