Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA)

What Is Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous?

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) is a twelve-step program dedicated to helping members recover from food addiction and gain control over their eating habits. The group was officially founded in 1998 and has since grown into an international fellowship with over 6,000 members.

FA isn’t a diet, and members aren’t asked to weigh in. However, a 2016 FA member survey found that 92% of respondents lost weight since joining.

FA doesn’t require dues. The group is always free to join and accepts anyone who wants to “stop eating addictively.”

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous Demographics

According to the most recent Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous survey of over 4,000 members, 85% of the survey group reported that they were “currently abstinent from addictive eating.”

Members also had better cardiovascular health, fewer gastrointestinal issues, and better mental health than when they started FA. However, keep in mind that these results are self-reported, and there isn’t much outside research into FA.

Other member statistics from FA include the following: 

• Age: The majority of FA members are age 54 or older.
• Gender: Most members are female, with women making up nearly 90% of FA.
• Race: 75% of FA members are white, followed by 13% black, and 11% identifying with another race, like Hispanic or Asian.

Core Principles of Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous

FA follows in the footsteps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and adapts many of their guiding principles, like their stances on religion, politics, and anonymity.

Core traditions of Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous include the following: 

• Self-funding: All FA chapters operate independently and don’t take donations from outside the group.
• Spiritual, not religious: FA isn’t associated with any religions or churches. You only need to be open to spiritual growth and accept your own version of a higher power.
• Volunteer-led: FA doesn’t employ addiction specialists or doctors. The program is non-professional, and all members are volunteers.
• Apolitical: FA never endorses political parties or causes to avoid controversies.
• Anonymity: FA keeps member identities secret in public. Other members will keep your stories and identity private, and you’re expected to do the same.

The Twelve Steps of Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous

FA’s steps are directly adapted from the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, but modified for food addicts.

For the best chances of success, FA recommends new members connect with a sponsor, a fellow group member who supports your journey and helps you stick to the steps.

You can see the 12 steps of Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous below: 

1. We admitted we were powerless over food—that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to food addicts and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

How Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous Differs From Other 12-Step Programs

FA shares a similar philosophy with food support groups, like Overeaters Anonymous (OA). However, each fellowship’s approach to recovery is different.

For example, FA calls on members to avoid foods containing added flour, sugar, and other added sweeteners, since they believe that these ingredients are triggering to food addicts. (That said, some scientific research questions whether or not sugar is addictive like drugs.)

Since food addicts often have trouble with portion control, the FA program also calls for members to weigh and measure meals, avoid snacking, and stay accountable with a sponsor.

Meanwhile, OA requires members to follow a customized meal plan that avoids their individual “trigger’ foods, but doesn’t have any universally forbidden foods like FA.

In all cases, it’s important to consult your doctor or a dietitian before trying a new meal plan to ensure it’s right for your nutritional needs.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous Meetings

FA hosts in-person, online, and phone meetings in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Meetings are always open to newcomers.

Food Addicts in Recovery Meetings are available in the following countries: 

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Germany
• Greece
• India
• Italy
• Ireland
• Russia

What Is a Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous Meeting Like?

FA meetings vary by chapter, but most share a few ground rules. For example, members are encouraged to share with “I“ statements and avoid asking questions or giving advice while someone else is sharing.

Meetings will generally open with the Serenity Prayer, any announcements, and a chance for newcomers to introduce themselves. From there, the agenda depends on the meeting type.

While every chapter can take a different approach, FA meetings often follow one of these templates: 

• Qualification meeting: A speaker shares their recovery story and inspiration with the group.
• Literature meeting: members read from the FA Book (Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous), the AA Big Book, or another piece of FA-approved literature.
• Tools meeting: Members study one of Fa’s tools of abstinence. Many chapters study one tool at a time at monthly meetings.
• Sharing meeting: Members share their thoughts, struggles, or wins with the group. In FA, only members who have been “abstinent” for 90 days or longer and have a sponsor can share at meetings.

How Can I Find a Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous Meeting?

If you’re curious to attend your first meeting, FA has two meeting finders.

The first FA meeting finder allows you to search for meetings by country and state/province. The second FA meeting finder lets you search for meetings by distance from your state, city, or zip code.

Both meeting finders allow you to filter results by language, time, and format, like in-person or online.

Get Support Through Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous

Food Addiction can make you feel out of control and overwhelmed, but with a supportive community behind you, you can create healthier habits and become the best version of yourself.

Visit Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous’ website to read pamphlets, learn more about their 12 steps, and find a meeting near you. If you’re unsure if FA’s approach is right for you, consider other 12-step groups for food, like Overeaters Anonymous.

Remember that 12-step groups aren’t a substitute for medical help. Always consult with a dietitian or doctor before trying a new diet plan, especially if you have an eating disorder or any other medical conditions.

Written by

Jessica Miller

Editorial Director

Jessica Miller is the Editorial Director of Addiction Help. Jessica graduated from the University of South Florida (USF) with an English degree and combines her writing expertise and passion for helping others to deliver reliable information to those impacted by addiction. Informed by her personal journey to recovery and support of loved ones in sobriety, Jessica's empathetic and authentic approach resonates deeply with the Addiction Help community.

Reviewed by

• Fact-Checked
• Editor

Kent S. Hoffman, D.O.

Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer

Kent S. Hoffman, D.O. has been an expert in addiction medicine for more than 15 years. In addition to managing a successful family medical practice, Dr. Hoffman is board certified in addiction medicine by the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine (AOAAM). Dr. Hoffman has successfully treated hundreds of patients battling addiction. Dr. Hoffman is the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of AddictionHelp.com and ensures the website’s medical content and messaging quality.