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WEIGHT ISSUE: Numbers of teenage girls skipping meals to lose weight are rising, study shows

NUMBERS OF teenage girls skipping meals in a bid to lose weight are on the rise, a new research has revealed.

The survey, which was done by the Schools Health Education Unit, found out that a third of 14 and 15-year-olds often miss breakfast.

The study, which polled 83,000 10 to 15-year-olds about their lifestyles in 2010, also uncovered that 24 percent skipped lunch, while up to one in 12 claimed to go without either.

"Skipping lunch doesn’t just leave pupils feeling hungry and tired - it really does affect their performance in the classroom," Claire Rick, a spokesman for the School Food Trust said.

She continued: "Our research shows that children are far more able to concentrate and focus with their teachers after a healthy meal at lunchtime, and we hear from schools all the time about the impact of better food for children’s behaviour at school."

However, despite the new findings, the research also found that children's eating habits are said to have gotten better with time, with more youngsters opting to snack on fruits and eating more vegetables instead of crisps and sweets.