Eating disturbances are not as severe as eating disorders, but can be just as harmful to a teen's growing body. Things like binge eating, weight cycling, and chronic dieting are triggered by the same symptoms as an eating disorder but don't fit the clinical definition necessary for diagnosis. As such, eating disturbances can be even more dangerous, as they can be virtually ignored.

Eating disturbances can also include limiting fat grams, emotional eating, or having a meal plan but only eating certain foods on the plan.

Binge eating
Binge eating often precedes bulimia. Binge eaters typically eat an excessive amount of food, whether over a prolonged or short period of time, continuing beyond being full and progressing to the point of discomfort or even pain. The binging starts because food becomes the focus of the person's life. She often obsesses over what she can or can't eat, and usually chooses high-calorie, high-fat foods. It is usually done in private, as someone who binges often feels ashamed and guilty. The shame and guilt are what eventually cause binging to become bulimia, as the guilt becomes so severe that the person resorts to extremes purge the food she's just ingested.

Binges are typically triggered by either intense emotion (from a failed relationship, stressful work environment, or something similar), or extreme hunger caused by overly strict dieting.

Excessive Exercising
Sometimes call "activity disorder" or compulsive exercise, read more about compulsive exercisers or teens with anorexia athletica.

Weight cycling and Chronic Dieting
These two often work together. The chronic dieter is someone who is, literally, always on a diet. Obsessed with weight gain, the chronic dieter often goes to extreme measures, which results in weight cycling.

Weight cycling is the continual patter of dieting, weight loss, ending the diet, and re-gaining weight. The weight gain, which is usually more than what was originally lost, often triggers the next diet, and thus ensures that the cycle continues. The weight that's lost by the chronic dieter often includes muscle mass, which slows the metabolism and prompts more weight gain.

Though eating disturbances may not seem as dangerous or serious as eating disorders, they are. Primarily because they often lead to eating disorders. But even if they don't anytime the human body is subjected to extremes in nutrition and exercise, the results are doing to be detrimental.