A new studies finds that eating a small portion of breakfast every morning helps fight obesity. Young girls in particular who eat cereal are more likely to stay slim than those who skip their morning meals.

The research followed the eating habits of nearly 2,400 girls during a ten year time span.

"Not eating breakfast is the worst thing you can do," says the study's author, Bruce Barton, the Maryland institute's president and chief executive officer. "That's really the take-home message for teenage girls."

"The fiber in cereal and healthier foods that normally accompany cereal, such as milk and orange juice, may account for the lower body mass index," Barton adds.

Recent studies also show that nearly one in three adolescent girls in the United States is overweight.