8:52am UK, Wednesday October 06, 2004

More than a million children in the UK could be suffering from anxiety or depression, according to new research.             

A survey of parents found that more than three-quarters thought their children were under far greater pressure than they were when growing up.

180 pupil school student writing class education

More than one million kids could be affected

And 75% said that peer pressure and stresses at school such as bullying and exams had the greatest impact on their child's emotional health and well-being.            

With added pressure from society over body image, youngsters were also prone to stress, panic attacks and depression according to a fifth of the 400 parents questioned by Norwich Union Healthcare.             

The Growing Pains study also found that 5% of mothers and fathers were worried their child was at risk of developing an eating disorder because of the pressures they were under.             

Other concerns highlighted by the parents, all with children between the ages of five and 15, were not wanting to go to school, nervous habits such as nail-biting and unexplained stomach problems.           

Almost a quarter of parents said they felt out of touch or distant from their child.             

And three-quarters said they worried that lack of communication in families could be contributing to problems among youngsters.             

Dinah Morley, director of children's mental health charity YoungMinds, said: "The results of the study clearly show that mental health problems are rising among adolescents in the UK.             

"Many young people feel desperately anxious about how they are going to take their place in the adult world."