They also tend to have brittle bones, swollen joints, loss of menstruation for women, fingernail breakage, and hair loss. There is a long list of many more problems that can develop but the most extreme concern is death. Bulimia on the other hand is the binging of large amounts, usually high calorie, foods and then forcing oneself to throw up. In order to be considered a bulimic, one must engage in excessive compensatory behaviors to avoid gaining weight, such as fasting, vomiting, and abusing laxatives at least twice a week over a period of three months. Some side effect of becoming a bulimic are constant stomach pains, damage to the kidneys and stomach, tooth decay due to the constant exposure to stomach acid while purging. Another effect is a problem called "chipmunk cheeks" that is developed due to salivary glands being permanently swollen due throwing up so often, loss of menstruation, and heart problems that can even cause death. .
There are many ways that parents, teachers, and other guardians can be aware that a child is developing an issue with their weight. There is the constant obsession with exercising, what they are eating, and mentioning of how they are scared to the idea of gaining weight. Some ways they can prevent this issue growing in their child, by simply imposing a positive attitude about weight and eating. If a child constantly hears their parent say, "I'm fat," they are going to become just as obsessive with weight if not worse. The best way to impose a healthy attitude about eating and weight is to engage in healthy eating habits, but to not make it an obsession in the house hold and let them know it is OK to eat. If faced with having to treat a teen with an eating disorder, hospitalization and therapy have become the main way of finding help. The main goal of hospitalization is to bring their body weight back to normal, and than therapy uses body modification as a way to change their mental view on weight.