Continued from Overeaters Anonymous Review.

Diet TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Club is an international, nonprofit, weight-loss support group.

Established in 1948, TOPS encourages the use of the food exchange system for losing weight. A TOPS volunteer runs each local chapter, and health professionals often speak at meetings.

Philosophy The desire to change eating habits comes from within an individual, and a supportive environment helps the individual sustain the change. Weekly meetings and weigh-ins use positive reinforcement and motivation to promote adherence.

Components TOPS has 10,000 chapters worldwide and includes weekly meetings and weigh-ins. Members give out awards to the person who loses the most weight each week.

Those who gain weight pay a small penalty. Food diaries help members track daily intake. A lifetime membership is encouraged to keep the weight off. The maintenance program is KOPS (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly).

Should you consider it? If you need group support, TOPS provides a good program at a reasonable membership fee ($24 per year). Chapters often ask a contribution of $1 per meeting.

Designed for people who: Aren’t able to go it alone. Group support is a motivating factor for many people.

Opinion TOPS employs experts in medical research, nutrition, fitness, and psychology. The TOPS website offers support (chat rooms, links, and message boards) as well as information from nutrition, health, and exercise experts.

If you currently don’t have a diet to follow, this may not be the right program for you. If you do have a diet to follow, TOPS might be the program to help you put it to use.