Youngsters may be less inclined to opt for unhealthy breakfast cereals than adults give them credit for, a new survey has shown.

When presented with a variety of different choices in the morning, children will not always go for sugary options, the team from Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity found.

They emphasised that in some cases, kids will opt for fruit as a means of compensating for the lack of sweetness in the other choice they have made.

"Don't be scared that your child is going to refuse to eat breakfast. The kids will eat it," explained study co-author and deputy director of the department Marlene B Schwartz.

This follows the news that several McDonald's outlets in the US will be trialing healthier breakfast recipes in a bid to improve its image among consumers.

Oatmeal is the first product to be tried, which may lead to other healthy options being rolled out.