Official figures show that one in four young women in the United Kingdom suffer from anxiety and depression.

Data revealed that 25 percent of 16 to 24-year-old women reported struggling with poor mental health - either anxiety or depression, according to a new survey released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in Britain on Friday.

The study added that women were “significantly more likely” to be suffering from such symptoms than men with just 15 per cent of reported mental ill health.

The report by the ONS used data from surveys that focused on a person’s overall happiness shown by their attitudes to issues such as relationships, work and education.

“There is still a huge amount of misunderstanding about mental health conditions, making people less likely to open up to others if they are struggling to cope. This is particularly difficult for young people who face pressure, including stress at school, college or university and body image issues,” said Tom Madders, director at youth mental health charity YoungMinds in the UK.

“A good quality of life includes having positive mental health and wellbeing, so it’s crucial that the problems which young people report are taken seriously and supported to prevent them escalating and going into crises,” he noted.

Madders warned that hospital admissions of young people for mental health problems were increasing at “alarming rates”.