Winning for losing

The bad news is that’s not saying much.

The report by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranked Massachusetts 50th in the nation in adult obesity, but that still meant more than one-fifth of the state’s adults are considered obese. That was also the case with Connecticut, ranked 49th; Rhode Island, ranked 48th; and Vermont, ranked 46th. Meanwhile, in New Hampshire (ranked 39th in a tie with Florida) and Maine (ranked 35th), nearly one-quarter of all adults are considered obese.

In Rhode Island, a Brown University medical student named Rajiv Kumar is working to make the state more fit. For the past four years, Kumar, 26, has spearheaded a weight-loss and exercise challenge called Shape Up RI. Participants form teams of family members, friends, and co-workers who then compete, “Biggest Loser’’-style, to shed pounds and step up their level of physical activity.

So far, the challenge has inspired 35,000 Rhode Islanders to go on diets, start walking regularly, and eat healthier meals.

Q. Why did you decide to start this crusade?

A. When I started medical school in the fall of 2005, that was the time obesity hit the national spotlight. Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee were on the national stage raising awareness and bringing attention to our obesity epidemic: the amount obesity costs our nation, the toll it takes on our health. That inspired me to think about this as a public health issue. We don’t have the cure for cancer, we don’t have a vaccine for HIV, but we do have the answer to prevent and reverse obesity, and that is through a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition, and physical activity.

Q. Have you ever had a weight problem yourself?

A. I’ve always been normal weight. But I identify with every other person in that we all have trouble finding time to be physically active. And I love chocolate chip cookies.

Q. Why did you opt for a team-based competition?

A. Historically, we’ve tried to lose weight and exercise alone, but when we do it alone it’s very difficult to succeed. The idea is we bring people together within their social network. Each team creates their own plan: Some teams join a gym, some take healthy cooking classes, some walk together, some just monitor each other. If they see someone eating something they had pledged not to eat, they’ll kind of mildly scold them.

Q. Do you get any credits from the medical school for this?

A. I do not. I get a lot of good will and great satisfaction from what I’m doing. I get letters from people saying their blood pressure is better, their kids are eating healthier, or they’ve strengthened their marriages by walking together after dinner each night. That’s what gets me out of bed in the morning, knowing we’re making a difference for these people.

Q. Will this affect your choice of a medical specialty?

A. It already has. Whatever specialty I choose will have to have a focus on prevention. My career will definitely have a public health bent to it, no question.