Scientists call for more graphic sex education as British teens become more 'adventurous' in bed

Scientists call for more graphic sex education as British teens become more 'adventurous' in bed -  One in four sexually active 16 to 24 year olds claim to have had vaginal, oral and anal sex during the last year.
Today's internet savvy teenagers are more sexually adventurous than those 20 years ago, a British survey of changing sexual attitudes found.
Straight British Millennials are not having sex earlier than their counterparts in the 1990s

but are experimenting with different kinds of sex. Vaginal intercourse and oral sex remained the most common combination of sexual practices experienced in the past year.

But the proportion of sexually active 16 to 24 year olds who said they have had vaginal, oral and anal sex during the last year has risen, from approximately one in ten women and men in 1990 to 1991, to one in four men and one in five women in 2010 to 2012.

And some of the largest increases in the prevalence of oral and anal sex over the past decade were observed among those aged 16 to 18.

Bisexual girls were also more likely to engage in all three sexual acts than straight girls.

Yet the median age of 14 for the first heterosexual experience such as kissing and the median age of 16 at first intercourse whether oral, vaginal or anal has not changed much in recent decades.

The readily availability of internet porn , greater promiscuity, and bisexual experiences among girls could be part of the reason why these types of sex have risen.

The findings mean sex education may need to be updated to ensure safe sex and teenagers are not coerced into doing things they may not want to, scientists said.

The study explores the changes in young people's sexual practices using nationally-representative data from the National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal), the largest scientific studies of sexual health and lifestyles in Britain.

These three studies, Natsal 1, 2 and 3, have been carried out every 10 years since 1990, and have involved interviews with more than 45,000 people to date.

Lead author Research Associate Dr Ruth Lewis conducted the work while at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine but is now based at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow.
"At a time when much sex and relationships education is being updated, keeping pace with current trends in sexual practices is crucial so that curricula are tailored to the realities of young people's experiences," she said.

"By shedding light on when some young people are having sex and what kinds of sex they are having, our study highlights the need for accurate sex and relationships education that provides opportunities to discuss consent and safety in relation to a range of sexual practices

"This will equip young people with the information and skills they need to maximise their wellbeing from the outset of their sexual lives."

Senior author Professor Kaye Wellings at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, added:

"The changes in practices we see here are consistent with the widening of other aspects of young people's sexual experience, and are perhaps not surprising given the rapidly changing social context and the ever-increasing number of influences on sexual behaviour.

"It is important to keep up to date with trends in sexual lifestyles to help young people safeguard their health and increase their well being."

The study which also involved researchers from University College London and NatCen Social Research was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health .