The hearing of Dutch youth is deteriorating and almost four in 10 under-25s have inadequate or poor hearing, according to the hearing foundation Nationale Hoorstichting.

The organisation bases its claims on 17,000 online check-ups. In 2011, three in 10 youngsters were said to have suffered some form of hearing damage.

‘We see trends emerging,’ spokesman Paul Heere is quoted as saying by Nos television. ‘It is increasingly easy to listen to music all day and the volume at concerts has gone up.’

The foundation wants hearing damage to be included in the government’s prevention programme, which MPs will debate on Thursday.

Labour MPs have already begun a campaign on hearing damage and want a 100 decibel limit on concert and club music volume.