The top medical official in the United States has called on Congress to add a warning label to social media websites, similar to the warning labels found on cigarette packaging.

Surgeon General VIVEK MURTHY said social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people.

MURTHY pointed to research showing that spending more than three hours a day on social media doubles the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms for adolescents.

He said that schools should ensure that classroom learning, and social time are phone-free experiences and that parents should create phone-free zones around bedtime, meals and social gatherings.