TOPS Club, Inc.: Difference between revisions

Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
 
m (Robot: Automated text replacement (-{{SIB}} +, -{{EH}} +, -{{EJ}} +, -{{Editor Help}} +, -{{Editor Join}} +))
 
Line 44: Line 44:
[[Category:Low priority]]
[[Category:Low priority]]


{{SIB}}
 
{{WH}}
{{WH}}
{{WS}}
{{WS}}

Latest revision as of 16:30, 20 August 2012

Template:Infobox Company

WikiDoc Resources for TOPS Club, Inc.

Articles

Most recent articles on TOPS Club, Inc.

Most cited articles on TOPS Club, Inc.

Review articles on TOPS Club, Inc.

Articles on TOPS Club, Inc. in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ

Media

Powerpoint slides on TOPS Club, Inc.

Images of TOPS Club, Inc.

Photos of TOPS Club, Inc.

Podcasts & MP3s on TOPS Club, Inc.

Videos on TOPS Club, Inc.

Evidence Based Medicine

Cochrane Collaboration on TOPS Club, Inc.

Bandolier on TOPS Club, Inc.

TRIP on TOPS Club, Inc.

Clinical Trials

Ongoing Trials on TOPS Club, Inc. at Clinical Trials.gov

Trial results on TOPS Club, Inc.

Clinical Trials on TOPS Club, Inc. at Google

Guidelines / Policies / Govt

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on TOPS Club, Inc.

NICE Guidance on TOPS Club, Inc.

NHS PRODIGY Guidance

FDA on TOPS Club, Inc.

CDC on TOPS Club, Inc.

Books

Books on TOPS Club, Inc.

News

TOPS Club, Inc. in the news

Be alerted to news on TOPS Club, Inc.

News trends on TOPS Club, Inc.

Commentary

Blogs on TOPS Club, Inc.

Definitions

Definitions of TOPS Club, Inc.

Patient Resources / Community

Patient resources on TOPS Club, Inc.

Discussion groups on TOPS Club, Inc.

Patient Handouts on TOPS Club, Inc.

Directions to Hospitals Treating TOPS Club, Inc.

Risk calculators and risk factors for TOPS Club, Inc.

Healthcare Provider Resources

Symptoms of TOPS Club, Inc.

Causes & Risk Factors for TOPS Club, Inc.

Diagnostic studies for TOPS Club, Inc.

Treatment of TOPS Club, Inc.

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

CME Programs on TOPS Club, Inc.

International

TOPS Club, Inc. en Espanol

TOPS Club, Inc. en Francais

Business

TOPS Club, Inc. in the Marketplace

Patents on TOPS Club, Inc.

Experimental / Informatics

List of terms related to TOPS Club, Inc.

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Background

TOPS Club, Inc. is a non-profit charitable corporation based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, having members in chapters located worldwide, the majority of them in the United States and Canada. Its twofold objective is to sponsor research and foster support groups in human body weight control. Most members refer to the organization simply as "TOPS", an acronym for "Take Off Pounds Sensibly".

Weight Control Philosophy

TOPS originally formed in 1948 as a response to the need to assist overweight and obese people to lose weight by setting up a support group system. Over the years as more weight management problems such as bulimia and anorexia became widely recognized in medicine, TOPS expanded their scope to include all people with weight problems. They also created an incentive for club members who reach and maintain their weight at their goal level to stay in the club as KOPS (Keeps Off Pounds Sensibly) members -- giving them extra recognition to help encourage other members in the club.

TOPS does not endorse any particular weight-loss plan (see dieting) and welcomes people into the membership even if they are actively involved in any weight-loss plan. Club meetings emphasize nutrition and exercise education focused on supplementing a member's effort to manage their weight. TOPS also has published education material for its members.

Local Chapter Meetings

A local chapter of the club is set up in a small region, usually covering one community. Larger communities may have more than one chapter, either because of size limitations or to address the various schedules of their members. According to their web site, the average chapter has 20 members. The total membership as of 2003 is 200,000.

Members meet weekly both for weight recording ("weigh-in") and for the main session. The weigh-in is performed in a private room with a calibrated balance scale and two members present as recording officers. As such, the weight records are considered medically sound.

New members are required to consult with their physician to obtain a goal weight for themselves, then report it to the recorders. The membership fee is $24/year in the USA and $30/year in Canada.

The main session in a club meeting is usually one of two types: education or special recognition. In either case, the meeting always begins with a report of total losses or gains, in pounds, for the week, as tabulated from the just-completed weight recording. Individual members are recognized for such things as losing the most pounds in one week among all the members. Small prizes are awarded to these "losers" (the word used within the confines of TOPS instead of "winners"). These prizes are funded from the weekly dues (one to two dollars) collected from the members. Special recognition involves more elaborate award ceremonies for "losers" based on several criteria such as most pounds lost in a month or year, best overall improvement, and maintaining goal-weight for a KOPS.

The most successful "losers" will also be recognized at regional and international conventions and will likely have an article printed about them in the bimonthly club newsletter, TOPS News.

See also


Template:WH Template:WS