Leonardo DiCaprio seems to prefer dating women half his age – but the science says it may not be solely his decision.
For younger women are much more prone to going out with older men – until, that is, they get older themselves, and realise that they may be lumbered with looking after a chap in his dotage.
Women choosing a partner at 25 opt on average for someone 2.7 years older. But when they get to 60 and are looking for love again, the age gap closes entirely.
Researchers said older women ‘may prioritise a healthy partner who does not require extensive care’, adding: ‘Choosing a same-aged or younger partner after the age of 60 may allow women to postpone or avoid the care-giving burden and better maintain their emotional wellbeing.’
For men – such as DiCaprio, 50, who is dating model Vittoria Ceretti, 26 – the opposite is true. By the time they reach their 60s – if they’re not married or in a long-term relationship – they are, on average, likely to partner a woman at least ten years younger.
The team at University College Dublin said: ‘Women tend to enter relationships with older men, but as they age, the age gap [at which a relationship starts] practically disappears at around 60.
‘Men tend to initiate relationships with younger women, and the age difference tends to increase as they get older.’
Previous research has shown men place great importance on the youthful appearance of their partners, while wealthier men also want to boost their image.
Leonardo DiCaprio, 50, is dating model Vittoria Ceretti, 26. The actor has made a name for himself by dating women half his age
Women choosing a partner at 25 opt on average for someone 2.7 years older, research has shown. Pictured: Leonardo DiCaprio’s girlfriend Vittoria Cerett
Previous research has shown men place great importance on the youthful appearance of their partners: Pitt, 61, with his 32-year-old girlfriend Ines de Ramon
The study, published in the journal Personal Relationships, used data about the long-term romantic history of 40,000 men and women aged over 50. Pictured: George Clooney, 63, with his wife Amal, 46
The academics added: ‘We speculate that the pattern of men partnering with younger women may be more pronounced among men with high socioeconomic status, according to the notion that having a younger partner may signify prestige for older men.’
The study, published in the journal Personal Relationships, used data about the long-term romantic history of 40,000 men and women aged over 50, including at what age relationships began.
It showed that, on average, 25-year-old men partnered with women who were 2.9 years younger. But as men got older, the age gap increased by a year every five years.
One evolutionary theory is that youth signals fertility, which men are hard-wired to be attracted to.
