12 Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous
2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself
in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
3. The only requirement for OA membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively.
4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or OA as a whole.
5. Each group has but one primary purpose — to carry its message to the compulsive overeater who still
suffers.
6. An OA group ought never endorse, finance or lend the OA name to any related facility or outside
enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
7. Every OA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8. Overeaters Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ
special workers.
9. OA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly
responsible to those they serve.
10. Overeaters Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the OA name ought never be drawn
into public controversy.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain
personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, television and other public media of
communication.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all these Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles
before personalities.