Labelling millennials 'snowflakes' is damaging their mental health, research claims.

The controversial term is now fashionable to use when describing young adults who are seen as taking offence easily and emotionally vulnerable.

Almost three quarters of 16-24 year olds surveyed believe the moniker is unfair and are adamant it could negatively affect their mental health.

The findings, made by insurance firm Aviva, were derived from a survey of 2,022 British participants between those ages.

The controversial term is sometimes used to describe young adults, often seen as being prone to taking offence and emotionally vulnerable

The thoughts were echoed by adults of all ages, with 58 per cent claiming the label is unfairly applied, the survey showed.

A further 57 per cent felt that the term 'generation snowflake' could also harm the mental health of young people.

The worst affected

A separate study also released by Aviva today suggests that 16-24 year olds are the worst-affected by mental health issues.

Around three in five have experienced a mental health condition, compared to just under half of adults over the age of 24.

Some 46 per cent of young adults say they have suffered from anxiety in the past 12 months - significantly higher than the 35 per cent recorded by adults.

It comes after the Government's behaviour tsar last February labelled students who demand to be protected from controversial views as snowflakes.

SNOWFLAKES CAN'T COPE WITH EXAMS Growing numbers of ‘snowflake’ students are appealing for special exemptions after missing essay deadlines or exams – because they overslept or were ‘stressed out’ by the tests. A Mail on Sunday investigation has found that top universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, were inundated with thousands of appeals last year by undergraduates fearing they could lose vital marks for failing to complete assessments. Students are able to plead with an official panel of academics to be allowed more time to finish work or retake an exam or stage of a course if they can show ‘extenuating circumstances’ such as illness or serious personal problems. But figures obtained from Freedom of Information requests show that the numbers of such appeals are rising dramatically – and academics say undergraduates are playing the system. Advertisement

Tom Bennett said that the problem began at school when too many children were protected from the 'harsher realities of the world'.

And last month the Mail on Sunday uncovered that growing numbers of 'snowflake' students are appealing for special exemptions after missing essay deadlines.

Our paper's investigation found top universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, were inundated with thousands of appeals last year - because students overslept.

Paddington Bear-style safety wristbands

It was also revealed in September that student freshers are being given Paddington Bear-style 'safety wristbands' with their address and emergency contact details.

The controversial scheme, taken up in Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Exeter, prompted backlash and was labelled as 'patronising' by academics.

And during the same month, the head of Oxford University attacked 'generation snowflake' in September and urged young students to toughen up.

Professor Louise Richardson asked them to challenge views they disagree with, instead of taking offence at small comments.

While a Cambridge University don echoed her sentiments and said 'snowflakes' are so sensitive they obsess about being inclusive of all genders and cultures.