What is OA?

Overeaters Anonymous is a Fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength, and hope, are recovering from compulsive eating. We welcome everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively.

There are no dues or fees for members; we are self-supporting through our own contributions, neither soliciting nor accepting outside donations. OA is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology, or religious doctrine; we take no position on outside issues.

Our primary purpose is to abstain from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors and to carry the message of recovery through the Twelve Steps of OA to those who still suffer.

How do I join?

You are a member of OA if you say so. Tradition Three says, “The only requirement for OA membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively,” and none of us can judge the desire in another’s heart.

To join a group one simply attends its meetings; groups do not have a formal procedure for joining. You can attend any OA meeting anywhere in the world. There are now many alternatives to face-to-face meetings, including phone, email, video and social media. The oa.org website has a complete list of all the registered OA meetings and their times and locations.