Women in their 70s value sexual chemistry in a partner more than women in their 40s, according to new research。

The value women place on sexual attraction dips in middle age but returns after retirement, it is claimed。

The survey, conducted by parenting website Netmums and the magazine Saga, asked 9,000 women aged 16 to 75 what exactly they look for in a long-term partner。

It also found that young women today are seeking a tall, dark, handsome, ambitious and rich stranger while the older generation are far more concerned with kindness, reliability and friendship when it comes to their idea of the perfect partner。

Emma Soames, editor at large of Saga Magazine, said: "The results provide some intriguing insights into real relationships across the generations。

"It's reassuring to see that over 50, the desire for sexual chemistry returns, showing that women still value the thing that brought them together with their partner in the first place。

"It is surprising, however, that fewer place importance on honesty than their younger counterparts。

"Perhaps after many years in a relationship a sense of realism and pragmatism is more important than honesty to keep a relationship on track - that and a lower rate of infidelity and thus less suspicion of cheating in this age group."

Top of the wish-list for young women came honesty. However, for the older generation honesty is not the best policy. Less than half of the older women polled were bothered about their man telling the truth at all costs and would prefer a few kind words instead。

For almost half the young women polled, romance is far from dead - at least, that's what they hope. Nearly half (49 percent) admitted that finding someone prepared to wine and dine them was top of their wish-list。

Ambition came in second place, with 21 percent saying that they were after a man who had his sights set high。

Michael Buble and George Clooney are favourite males among the older generation, but when it comes to finding a partner for life, older women are not bothered by a beautiful face. Three times more young women were interested in how attractive their partner is。

一项新研究发现，与40多岁时相比，女人在70多岁时更看重伴侣的性吸引力。

该研究称，女性到了中年，就不太看重性吸引力了，不过她们在退休之后对这方面又会重新重视起来。

育儿网站Netmums和Saga杂志共同开展的这项研究调查了9000名16至75岁的女性，了解她们从长期伴侣身上寻求的究竟是什么。

研究发现，如今的年轻女性希望觅到身材高大、肤色健康、英俊潇洒、志向远大的多金男士。而年长的女性，在寻找理想伴侣时，则更加看重善良、可靠以及两人能否友好相处。

Saga杂志特约编辑爱玛 索姆斯说：“这些研究结果针对真实生活中不同年代的人的感情关系提出了一些非常有趣的见解。

“看到年过50的女性重新燃起对性吸引力的渴望，令人感到安慰，这说明那些当初使两人走到一起的东西，现在依然令她们珍惜。

“不过让人惊讶的是，她们不像年轻女性那么看重诚实。

“可能经过多年相处之后，她们发现对于维系一段关系而言，现实和务实的心态要比诚实更重要。而且到了这个年纪，不忠行为减少了，从而对欺骗的猜疑也减少了。”

年轻女性最希望男人具有的品质是诚实。然而，诚实对于年长女性却不是最好的策略。接受调查的年长女性中，有近半数的人为自己的男人总是讲真话而烦恼，她们更愿意听到一些顺耳的好话。

对于近半数接受调查的年轻女性而言，浪漫仍然很有市场——至少她们都期待浪漫。近一半(49%)的女性承认，她们最期盼的事情是发现有人为自己精心准备了美酒菜肴。

有抱负是女人第二看重的品质。有21%的女性说自己想要的是有远大理想的男人。

麦可·布雷和乔治·克鲁尼是很受老一代女性欢迎的男人，不过如果是寻觅人生伴侣的话，年长女性不在乎男人的脸蛋是否俊美。相比之下，看重伴侣外表魅力的年轻女性比年长女性多了三倍。