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!

I was that skinny child with a huge appetite as a kid. I remember my peers at school teasing me, calling me names, and then as a young adult people saying “you need a big meal”, “are you ill?” being taken to one side by “concerned” people asking if I had an eating disorder.

My mum also took me to the doctor, who was unconcerned and said I had a high metabolism. Let me tell you, I’m 45 now and my high metabolism has long flown the nest. Obviously keep an eye out but if she’s otherwise healthy and participating in those activities happily then it could be as simple as a high metabolism. Incidentally, my 8 year old is going along the same path, I immediately panicked until I remembered my own childhood.

If she’s eating loads and not putting on weight does she have any other symptoms? Is she tired, always on the toilet, thirsty? These are signs of type 1 diabetes although if you’ve been to the doctor it’s probably not that. Just worth mentioning in case.

The protein needs to be with every meal, not just at night. Protein and fat help with satiety. As does fibre from vegetables.

Examples-
Eggs added to breakfast with the avocado toast
Cheese and fruit for snack
Lunch Protein eg chicken, cheese and vegetables. So a salad sandwich / wrap, stir fry with rice etc
Snack of nuts / nut butter and fruit
Dinner again protein and vegetables
Snack high protein yoghurt (generally greek yoghurt has highest protein) and fruit. You can add 1/4 cup raw oats to make a more filling snack if eating earlier in the day.

Take out the processed foods as they're not filling.

You could try ad-lib vegetables when she's hungry. So cucumber sticks, carrot sticks etc