Can’t Buy Me Love: Odd Statistics About Love and Sex

When you start putting numbers to love, some rather odd findings emerge. For example, the majority of the whole population of the world believes itself to be in love at any one time—but many more women than men (!).

As many as 73 percent of Russian women and 63 percent of Japanese and American women believe themselves to be in love. Yet only 61 percent of Russian men and as few as 41 percent of Japanese men think they are in love, too. It is a sad gap, and probably explains why as many as half of all marriages now end in divorce.

And here are 12 other remarkable oddities when you put numbers to love and sex:

** Although everyone knows how many divorces there are, only 12 percent of married people thought they would get divorced.

** Percentage of those who leave their spouses that then go on to marry the person they were having an affair with: 10

** Percentage of divorced or separated Americans who believe marriage should be for life: 80

** Number of calories you burn by kissing for one minute: 26

** Percentage of people who say they want to be rid of their current partner: 8

** Percentage of third marriages that end in divorce: 90

** Percentage of children born to cohabiting couples who will live with both parents until the age of at least 16: 36 (compares with 70 for the children of married couples)

** Percentage of Australian married men who have sex at least twice a week: 43

** Percentage of Australian single men who have sex at least twice a week: 26

** Percentage of people who claim to be satisfied with their sex life: 49

** Average number of times French people have sex every year: 130 (the most in Europe)

** Percentage by which you are more likely to get ill if you are in an unhappy marriage: 35

Read more: Spirit, Inspiration

Adapted from Shocking, Hilarious, Bizarre, Mindboggling, Frightening!, Fascinating Numbers, by David Boyle & Anita Roddick (Anita Roddick Publications 2004). Copyright (c) 2004 by Anita Roddick Publications 2004. Reprinted by permission of Chelsea Green.
Adapted from Shocking, Hilarious, Bizarre, Mindboggling, Frightening!, Fascinating Numbers, by David Boyle & Anita Roddick (Anita Roddick Publications 2004).