In the past studies have proved that on average normally men have a shorter life span as compared to women on average, but the new study proves that men have longer sexual life.

According to the recent survey, on average men at the age of 55 still have 15 years of sexual activity ahead of them whereas women just have 10 years. The survey was conducted on middle-age and older Americans.

Lead researcher Stacy Tessler Lindau, director of the Program in Integrative Sexual Medicine at the University of Chicago, explained to LiveScince that on the whole, it was discovered that men are more likely to be sexually active as compared to their counterpart, to report a good quality sex life, and to be keen and thinking about sex on a regular basis.

In the past some of the studies were conducted to examine the relation between sexual health and aging. However to prove this, Lindau and her associate team caught hold of the data generated from two nationally representative surveys of 3,000 25- to 74-year-olds and another one of 3,000 57- to 86-year-olds. In these surveys the participants were asked to answer questions about their general health along with their sexual activity, sexual satisfaction and sexual desires.

The results turned out to give good news. During the middle age, two-thirds of women and men were found to have good quality sex. They also found out that people who possessed good or excellent health were almost twice as sexually active as compared to people with poor or fair health. However, good health at the age of 55 added another five to seven years in men's sexual life expectancy but added only three to six years to women's.

The study also explained a sexual gender gap. As per the study, a man aged 30 can expect 35 more years of sexual activity and 45 more years of life whereas a 31 year old woman can expect 31 more years of sexual activity, but 50 more years of life. This means that on average men after the age of 30 will spend 78 percent of life having sex but women with just 61 percent.

This gap keeps on increasing with the age. When the researchers studied the results of a survey conducted at the age group of 75 and older, it was discovered that 40% of men were sexually active as compared with just 17% of women were sexually active at this age. Lindau said that this difference is mainly due to the reason that women are more likely to outlive their male counterparts.

Other results of the study give way to new questions. Only half of the women who were having sex during their late life thought it to be good whereas almost two-thirds of men at the age of 75 and up found that even at this age their sex lives are satisfying. This finding actually raised questions for Lindau.

She questioned as to why only half of the women in this age group who were sexually active thought they had a good sex life. What was the reason behind it and what all measures can be taken to enhance not just sexual function, but quality of sex life too?

The reason can be pharmacological. Men who participated in the sexual health survey in the years 2005 and 2006 reported to have a significantly increased interest in sex as compared to men who participated in the survey 10 years earlier. However, women didn't displayed any such changes which can’t be taken as a coincidence, Lindau said.

She further added that during the passage of time, some really effective treatments for male erectile dysfunction have been introduced as it is one of the most common problems faced by men when they get older but their has been nothing done for women.

With the help of the study researchers found a new perceptive about who might gain from policies to address later-life sexual health.

This study was published on March 9 in the online edition of British Medical Journal.