Concerned on how much my 7yo is eating

[user1498683185]

Hi,
Just looking for some advice...
My seven year old has the biggest appetite I have ever seen on a child. She is constantly asking for food and able to easily finish a portion the same size as adults. (Example when we ate out tonight she had an adults starter and pasta main and once finished she will complain she's still hungry).
At a doctors appointment earlier this year when weighed we was told she is underweight, she is just as tall as my slightly petite nine year old girl, and stick thin. I regularly monitor her weight is I am paranoid with the large amounts she eats but there is never really any change . She dances 4 times a week a total of 10 hours alongside her swimming lessons so she is rather active.
I am unsure if I should allow her to eat what she wants e.g very large portions and more often and keep monitoring or whether I should restrict her to prevent these bad eating habits (and have her complain - she is mildly autistic and has adhd which seems to flare up when she is complaining she's hungry). I don't want it to catch up on her hence why I monitor her.
When I mentioned this to the doctor, he put it down to the fact she is highly active and metabolism but I just don't think this is normal, she eats more than me and most adults I presume. I wouldn't put this down to her being active, but just been advised by the doctor to keep monitoring and if she is happy then she can eat and to encourage fruit when she's hungry.

E.g of what she ate today
Breakfast- Two Slices of Avacado on Toast then Apple (after complaining she's still hungry)
Mid Morning School Snack- Banana
Lunch at School- School Xmas Dinner, Fruit Pot and Gingerbread Man
After School Snack- Strawberries, Yoghurt then Alpen Bar (After complaining she's still hungry)
After Swimming Lesson Snack- (complaining she's hungry whilst her little brother has his lesson after and wasn't much choice) Crisps & Slush
Tea- Adult Calamari Starter & Chicken Fettuccine Pasta
After Tea whilst watching a film- Biscuits and Hot Chocolate
Just Before Bed- Banana (complaining she's hungry and tears, even after banana but fell asleep not longer after)

Any advice is welcomed I'm at my wits end with what to do!

You need to increase the protein if today is a typical day there wasn't much in there at all. Try eggs at breakfast.

Please stop monitoring her weight, what a way to start an eating disorder

I don't think that sounds abnormal at all! I agree she probably needs more filling protein.

Yep - agree that swapping out some carbs for protein or just adding protein will probably help.

OP - she's a healthy weight, she's active, and a doctor has been unfussed.

Agree with PP that you really need to watch the messages you're giving her.

Definitely more protein
And volume foods - veg, veg, more veg. Something like for example sausage and mash is filling with a big pile of carrots, sweetcorn, cabbage.. whatever veg she will eat
Boiled eggs - put a poached or fried egg on the avocado toast to up the protein
Alpen bars are mostly air oatcakes and cheese instead, or make sure the yoghurt is a thick full fat Greek one with the strawberries
Rice pudding or a portion of crumble and custard for pudding

Make sure she's having enough fat too and pair every carb with a protein really helps so carrot sticks with a boiled egg, cucumber sticks with some tuna mayo

I'm not sure that sounds so much considering her age and activity levels. Try to increase protein, fibre and healthy fat. Instead of just apple, apple dipped in a little peanut butter. Nuts in general. Eggs. Boiled eggs make good snacks. Try not to stress so much, you don't want her picking up on it (or going hungry).

GP has said she’s underweight and she’s hungry! Why on EARTH would you restrict how much she eats?
Just make sure she has access to a healthy range of foods.
Regularly weighing her and being weirdly restrictive about food is not a good approach to this.

@Snowywintersundays123

Please stop monitoring her weight, what a way to start an eating disorder

I monitor her weight as this is what my doctor is advising, I have been told to keep a log. She is none the wiser, she doesn't even know what I am doing.

Agree on upping the protein. Peanut butter also good on toast at breakfast.

Also consider porridge- my 9 Yr olds have a big bowl with frozen berries and chopped banana every school day. Its slow release energy. I add half teaspoon sugar each to 45g oatflakes, fill with milk and dash water. Microwave for 5 mins on full. Stir. Microwave again for 5 mins. Watch to make sure it doesn't overflow. Once thick and creamy take out, stir in frozen berries. Add some.cold milk to loosen and cool. Chop in half or whole small banana.

It's very filling, high energy but low sugar.

My daughter also has a glass of milk alongside the water.

Also other suggestions for hungry kids - full fat plain yoghurt, custard on chopped fruit , rice pudding, add lentils to mince/ bolognaise sauce to increase protein content

Hope useful.

I agree with previous posters that since she is underweight you don't need to restrict her eating.

Cheese, eggs, nuts, and obviously met fish and chicken may help with her satiety. She is getting plenty of calories, but her body is probably craving some of the protein and minerals contained in these foods.

She's slim: let her eat everything! More protein and not too much sugar, fats are fine.

I ate loads as a child and still do as an adult; I'm just active and still a size 8

I agree that she needs more protein and more good fats. So, as suggested, eggs, peanut butter, etc. I'd also try her with something like hummus as a dip too.

This is just today's example, she will eat differently every day and usually would include more protein in her tea time meal if I was making it at home, this is just what she chose from the restaurant menu. Occasionally will have the likes of eggs for breakfast.

I don't restrict her, when she complains she is hungry I will give her more food as wrote above. I am just concerned when she is constantly asking for food and it is always on her mind, that maybe something medically isn't right.

I am thinking maybe too much in to it, just can't help but worry as a mum...

More protein and more fats.

Also, what are you and her Dad like, body wise?

I’m short and can get dumpy if I’m not careful; ExDH is extremely tall - 6ft 6inches - and can hoover everything in sight and stay underweight.

DD is almost 6, 4ft 1inch, and almost underweight. Also eats everything in sight. Added complication of being dairy free and she isn’t keen on meat.

I would suggest more protein and more vegetables but otherwise, I wouldn't be worried. She sounds extremely active which would account for why she has such a big appetite. My 3 year old DC can eat a portion of spag bol almost the size of an adult portion. I'm not exaggerating 😳 I'm slightly worried but going to give it a few years and see if it changes. Both DH and I come from families where everyone is fairly tall, as is DC. So my advice would be try not to overthink it and as a few pp's have said, please don't be over-anxious about it to the point you could potentially trigger issues such as eating disorders, body dysmorphia and so on.

I have 4 DC all slim and around 25% centile for weight (one of them is 9th) and they eat similar amounts, I’ve never considered it too much at all as they are active and slim.

Despite what GP has said I wouldn’t be monitoring or logging weight, I’ve never been told to do that even though one of mine was referred to peads for his size they didn’t ask us to do this. It was fine and he’s a strapping 14 year old now and slim but not skinny.

Poor child. I can’t believe that you’d even consider restricting the food of an underweight and hungry child - the Doctor even told you it’s because she’s v active and has a high metabolism and you seem not to believe him? And then to blame her ADHD and ASD “flare ups” on being hungry - that’s not how neurodiversity works, she’s just hangry. Your attitude is borderline abusive.

Let the poor girl eat FFS. My kids are 6YO and 8YO. Both eat constantly, eat adult sized portions and ask for seconds an hour later. Both are very active and I know it gets bandied about here loads, but also tall. 8YO is on the 3rd centile for weight and 6YO is on the 25th.

She's active and doing lots of growing right now. She needs the food.

Hi @user1498683185

I wouldn't be too worried if she has regular healthy bowel movements and is otherwise well.

Fat is important for keeping us full as I think someone else mentioned.

I also have a 7 yr old dd and I sometimes wonder if when she asks for a snack she actually means she's bored or tired or another emotion so could just be worth checking that she actually means she's hungry?

To give you some perspective, my 8Y0 could ( and has thanks to my parents ) eat an entire large pizza to himself.

And be hungry 20 minutes later.

He's still skinny.

That doesn't sound a ridiculous amount of food tbh, especially breakfast. I would suggest something more filling for breakfast as toast is a bit carb heavy. If she's healthy and active I'd try not to worry too much.

I think if a child tells you they're hungry, they should eat. Good she's seen a doctor though, hope they ruled out anything untoward. I'll be honest though, for a very active child what you describe as a typical day's food may seem a lot in quantity to you, but doesn't actually seem very filling?

Ditto other posters don't monitor her and watch the messages you give out. Do you have any anxiety about food yourself?

@De88 Do you have any anxiety about food yourself?

This. Hit the nail on the head, I think.

She's 7, of course she knows you're weighing her. If she hasn't figured out why it won't take long- children are not stupid.