Generation Prude: No sex until we wed

THEY have been nicknamed ‘generation sensible’ for their love of healthy living and cautious approach to life.

Now it has emerged that millennials could also be considered the most prudish age group, with a new study revealing almost one in three – 29 per cent – people in their 30s believe sex outside marriage is wrong. Their parents’ generation – those in their 60s – have the most relaxed attitudes to sex, with only 12 per cent thinking it is wrong outside marriage. Just 18 per cent of those in their 40s have the same view, dropping to 14 per cent among those in their 50s.

The findings are documented in the Attitudes Towards Marriage And Commitment study by the Marriage Foundation. It is based on a survey which the pro-marriage think-tank conducted with polling firm Savanta ComRes of 2,000 adults who were either married or had been in the past.

Harry Benson, who is the author of the study, said: ‘Perhaps surprisingly, young adults are less liberal and more conservative than their parents.’

However, John Higgs, a cultural commentator and author, said: ‘It’s a bit of a surprise to see millennials who have grown up with dating apps and Tinder taking such a view… The notion that almost 30 per cent of 30-year-olds think sex outside marriage is wrong would be a shock to me.’