Overeaters Anonymous is a proven program of recovery patterned after the Twelve Steps and Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. OA doesn’t concern itself with the medical aspects of obesity, anorexia or bulimia, but rather with the compulsive nature of overeating and other eating disorders. OA believes that compulsive eating is a threefold disease: physical, emotional, and spiritual, which, like alcoholism and drug abuse, can be arrested, but not cured. The OA program is a resource that supports—but not replaces—existing treatment programs and approaches.
Because OA claims no medical or nutritional expertise, we encourage members to seek professional guidance and a plan of eating that allows them to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Healthcare professionals may also work with patients who are at a healthy body weight, yet still struggle with compulsive eating, restricting, bulimia, or anorexia. OA offers hope and recovery to these individuals as well.