“Unity with Diversity” Policy

THE FELLOWSHIP of Overeaters Anonymous encourages and promotes acceptance and inclusivity. All are welcome to join OA and are not excluded because of race, creed, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other attribute. We welcome all who share our compulsion. Everyone with the desire to stop eating compulsively is welcome in Overeaters Anonymous.

THE FELLOWSHIP recognizes the existence of individual approaches and different structured concepts to working our Twelve Step program of recovery; that the Fellowship is united by our disease and our common purpose; and that individual differences in approach(es) to recovery within our Fellowship need not divide us.

THE FELLOWSHIP respects the rights of members, groups, and service bodies to follow a particular concept of recovery within Overeaters Anonymous and encourages each member, group, and service body to respect those rights as they extend the hand of fellowship to those who still suffer.

THE FELLOWSHIP encourages each duly registered group and service body to affirm and maintain the Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous by allowing any member to share his or her experience, strength, and hope in meetings regardless of the individual approach or specific concept that member may follow. Duly registered is defined as being in full compliance with Bylaws,

​Subpart B, Article V.
You can view or download this updated policy statement on the Unity with Diversity Policy Statements web page.

Overeaters Anonymous Special Focus Groups

Within the OA fellowship, there are members who have discovered they are more comfortable meeting with other members who share similar experiences.  The list of special focus meetings include: 100 Pounders, Anorexic/Bulimic, Bariatric Surgery, Black, Health Issues, LGBT, Men, Women, Young Persons.

Agnostics & Atheists

www.secularoa.org/home
secularovereaters.org/

​You are not alone.  For atheists, agnostics, and others with different spiritual or religious beliefs beyond the mainstream,  “the god thing” in Overeaters Anonymous (OA)* can be hard to navigate.  Fellows who have decades of success working a secular program are here to share their experience of recovery from compulsive food behaviors--independent of religious beliefs and never having to “act as if” they believe in things they don’t. ​ Recovery is about healing the human spirit. Your options may vary, but no gods or miracles are required.

Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI)

This special focus group has recently been added by WSO.  Watch for meetings to be listed at ​https://oa.org/find-a-meeting/.

Bariatric (Weight-loss) Surgery

WSO Position on Bariatric Surgery
​(5/20/2018)
Newly approved World Services Business Conference of Overeaters Anonymous position statement on bariatric (weight-loss) surgery:
  • In keeping with Tradition Ten, Overeaters Anonymous has no opinion on bariatric (weight-loss) surgery.
  • In the spirit of Tradition Three, Overeaters Anonymous welcomes anyone with a desire to stop eating compulsively, including those who have had the surgery or are contemplating it.
​Advanced meeting search: oa.org/find-a-meeting/?type=1&special_focus=25&sort=ASC&timezone=EST&limit=20&paged=1&submit=true

Health Issues

Health issues can include chronic illness, autism, neurodiversity, mental health and much more.

Advanced meeting search:
​oa.org/find-a-meeting/?type=1&language=English&special_focus=24&sort=ASC&timezone=EST&limit=20&paged=1&submit=true

Men & Women

​www.oamen.org/
OA Literature: bookstore.oa.org/pc_product_detail.asp?key=D5A7F0028F6B4FFA8ABD6ECBD89D0ACD
From the 2017 Membership Survey:
Composition of Membership:
Gender
Female . . . 87% Male . . . . 13%
Age
19-25 . . . 1% 36-45 . . . 13% 56-65 . . . 31%
26-35 . . . 9% 46-55 . . . 23% Over 65 . . . 23%
Relationship Status
Married  . . . .  50%  Single . . . . . . 21%
Other . . . . 6% 
​Partner/co-habitating  . . . .  8% Divorced/separated . . . .  15%

Meditation and Creativity

​oafootsteps.com/
This special focus meeting is all about embracing our creativity as a means to help navigate our recovery in Overeaters Anonymous, and to deepen our relationship and connection with our Higher Power. This is an opportunity to put “put our thoughts and feelings down” through a wide variety of creative mediums, so that we might better understand them, and see them with greater clarity. This is an opportunity to share your current work, and how this creative process has expanded our spiritual connection with our Higher Power.