Blacks are more likely to report having 15 or more partners in a lifetime (46 percent men and 13 percent women) than other races or ethnic groups.
How many sex partners have you had?
Now the federal government says it has authoritative statistics, documenting that men are far more likely to play the field than women.
(AP) A new nationwide survey, using high-tech methods to solicit candid answers on sexual activity, finds that 29 percent of American men report having 15 or more female sexual partners in a lifetime, while only 9 percent of women report having sex with 15 or more men.
The number of lifetime female sexual partners for men was seven; women -- four.
In previous federal surveys on these topics, participants were asked questions in face-to-face interviews. The Center for Disease Control believes that caused underreporting of behaviors which might be viewed negatively.
This time, data was gathered from 6,237 adults, aged 20 to 59, in what are called computer-assisted self-interviews - a method designed to provide complete privacy and produce more honest answers.
The participants wore headsets, heard the questions, then touch the screen with responses. There's no one else in the room and they were able to take as long as they wanted.
Among the other findings:
About 96 percent of U.S. adults have had sex.
Sixteen percent of adults first had sex before age 15, while 15 percent abstained from sex until at least age 21.
The proportion of adults who first had sex before age 15 was highest for non-Hispanic blacks (28 percent) compared to 14 percent for both Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic whites.
Six percent of blacks abstained from sex until age 21 or older, fewer than Mexican-Americans (17 percent) or non-Hispanic whites (15 percent).
Twenty-five percent of women and 17 percent of men reported having no more than one partner of the other sex in their lifetime.