People skipping breakfast had better mend their ways, as a new study shows how the morning meal reduces stress and improves mental and physical performance throughout the day.

Volunteers who ate after waking up benefited from an 89 percent reduction in anxiety when faced with a challenging situation.

They were typically able to deal with the dilemma seven percent quicker than on days when they went without it, the mental and physical tests have revealed.

Participants in the study performed a series of tests on two days -- one when they had their breakfast and one when they hadn't.

According to The Cognitive Effects of Breakfast study, in total 61 percent showed an improvement in English and arithmetic tests after eating.

Hand-eye coordination also improved significantly, with the number of mistakes made by participants falling by 75 percent, the poll and research by baker Warburtons found.

Conversely, some participants found they were unable to concentrate long enough to complete the series of 25 tests properly if they had not eaten.

In Britain, 48 percent of adults admit to skipping breakfast at least once during the working week, the poll of 2,000 people found.

It leaves over half of them feeling "stressed", "lethargic", "unproductive" and "grumpy". Those aged 25 to 34 are particularly affected if they do not eat, the research showed.

The research was conducted at the Mindlab laboratory based at the Sussex Innovation Centre, Brighton city.