GEN Z youngsters are desperate for long-term relationships instead of flings and dating, a report has found.

Researchers said teens and 20-somethings have a “surprising” obsession with traditional romance.

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Some 81 per cent dream of going steady, with 44 per cent saying they often think about it.

In older generations, about 70 per cent crave one-on-one commitment, with 25 per cent considering it regularly.

Study author Dr Justin Lehmiller said: “It is well documented that Gen Z is having less sex, fewer partners, and fewer relationships than generations that came before.

“At the same time, a current trend is the romanticisation of traditional relationships and roles.

“There is a certain appeal to ‘how things used to be’ in the sense that they just seemed simpler.

“As dating has moved into the digital world, it has only become more complex.”

He added: “It is possible that older adults have simply had more practice with monogamy, and found that it is not for them or have a craving for sexual newness.”

The report, by the Kinsey Institute at the University of Indiana, backs up the “trad wife” social media trend — where millions follow influencers living in “old-fashioned” husband and wife roles.

However the report also found Generation Z — born from around 1997 to 2012 — are much less likely to identify as heterosexual. They are more interested in kinky sex, but make love less often.

Dr Lehmiller said: “It suggests a generation that is simultaneously challenging and embracing tradition.”

Those aged 28 to 60 were most likely to fancy multiple partners at once, while over-60s had the highest interest in “friends with benefits”.