Raven-Symone has spoken out about the pressure she was under to stay slim, when she was just a young actress.

The former child star, who made her small-screen debut on The Cosby Show as Olivia Kendall in 1989, admitted her food portions were watched and controlled when she was just a seven-year-old.

“I remember not being able to have the bagel or anything at [craft services] – we call it crafty – where it’s just a table of food ready for you to eat whenever you want,” she told her co-stars on ABC talk show The View.

“And I remember people were like, ‘You can’t eat that. You’re getting fat’. I’m like, ‘I’m seven! I’m hungry!’” she added.

Raven also appeared on The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air and Hangin’ With Mr Cooper before she landed her own show That’s So Raven, which aired from 2003 to 2007.

The 29-year-old actress, who appeared on E4′s musical drama Empire, joined The View as a regular panellist in June, following Rosie O’Donnell’s departure from the show.