With the national debate on health care and rising obesity in the U.S. raging on, Rajiv Kumar '05 MD'11 has decided to "disrupt the health care system" on his own terms.
In 2006, Kumar started the program Shape Up Rhode Island with the nebulous goal to "find a way to help my patients achieve their health goals, whatever they were," he said. Then a first-year medical student, Kumar decided to change traditional lifestyles after seeing his patients struggle to improve their health.
Since the program's inception, Brown has encouraged employees to participate. But this year, the University's participation numbers are down. While there were 423 employees last year on 62 teams — a number consistent with the average since 2006, when Brown began participating — this year only 266 people have signed up, on 43 teams.
Shape Up R.I. looks to harness the social power of the Internet to encourage collaboration. "I noticed that most people were failing (at achieving their health goals), but those who weren't were doing so by leveraging their trusted social network — their friends, their family and their colleagues."
Kumar concluded that one of the keys to improved health was working alongside others. Due to the "accountability, motivation and social support" that come with exercising with a buddy or dieting with a friend, he said he believed the best way to get healthier was to get people working together. So Shape Up R.I. took shape.
With more specific goals in mind — "to help people lose weight, increase their exercise and stem the obesity epidemic we've been seeing nationwide" by using online social media — Kumar set to work structuring a statewide program that would best implement his vision.
Shape Up R.I. is predominantly sponsored by participating employers, who cover the $20 participation fee for their employees. The majority of participants in the program come from companies or institutions, including Brown, which cover their fees.
"The numbers are down throughout the state. We are trying to do some more publicity to get our numbers back up," said Drew Murphy, director of benefits for human resources.
In an effort to boost participation, the University's Human Resources department is encouraging employees to set up teams with non-employees. "If people just don't feel comfortable competing or losing weight on a team with colleagues, then they can do it in that more friendly environment of their family and friends," Murphy said. Brown will not cover the cost of those not employed by the University.
Teams of at least five take part in an annual competition to determine which teams have lost the most weight, walked the most steps and exercised the most minutes over a 12-week period every spring. Teams are rewarded based on their performance in any or all of the three divisions, depending on which ones they choose.
According to the Shape Up R.I. website, more than 48,500 Rhode Islanders have taken part in the program since its inception. In 2011, there were 12,892 program participants who lost an average of 7.4 pounds, exercised about 6.1 hours a week and walked about 10,237 steps per day, according to the website.
Murphy, who has himself been a team captain and participated in the program for the last six years, now takes the stairs up to his office and walks more everyday. During the 12-week program, he would send emails to co-workers and teammates to join him on lunchtime walks to Wayland Square or Wickenden Street.
Kim Almeida, a Brown employee who has been on the same team as Murphy since 2006, had only praise for the program. "It's been very effective. It's motivated me to get out and do some walking in the time of year when you generally wouldn't get out and walk," she said. "You get out of your office, take a break, go for a walk, get some steps in during the lunch hour. It's truly motivated me to make a lot of lifestyle changes."
The social element has also elicited results. "You don't want to let your team members down. You know they're counting on you not to be the person who drags the numbers down for the team," Almeida said. But she added, "It's not like you'll get kicked off the team if you're not walking enough. It's more of a motivating factor."
Past Brown teams have included Brown Campus Life, Brown Geology, Brown Financial Aid for Fitness and Brown Bears from the Square.
Shape Up R.I. also sponsors fitness events and discounts at stores for its participants. Partnering with gyms and health foods stores, the program blasts emails to participants throughout the year with information about deals.
Kumar is focused on improving the program, most importantly by trying to eliminate the fee. "Any cost is a barrier," he said. He plans to continue cultivating relationships with sponsors in order to help reduce costs.
Kumar is also developing Shape Up For Kids, a program that will apply the same behavior-changing principles proven to work in the adult program — "goal setting, progress tracking, friendly competition and social rewards" — to a children's program.
"We're really excited about this," said Kumar, who will be teaming up with the first lady of Rhode Island, Stephanie Chafee P'14, to co-lead this program, which is slated to launch in 2013.
The youth program will have five goals — to increase physical activity, spur healthy eating, encourage reading, foster environmental conservation and promote good deeds among children.
Registration for Shape Up R.I. is open until Feb. 6, though the deadline may be pushed back a week to promote more participation.
