Rajiv Kumar and Ray Rickman...are about to kick off the 2008 edition of Shape Up Rhode Island, the statewide wellness program that has teams of people competing to see which one can collectively lose the most weight, take the most steps or exercise the most.

Last year, about 4,600 people participated in the 12-week challenge, and Rickman predicted that the number will grow to about 15,000 when Shape Up RI begins on Feb. 4...

...In Shape Up RI, teams of between five and 11 people are allowed to compete in one of three categories or all of them: weight loss, steps walked or exercise hours logged. Teams can track their progress – and that of their competitors – on the Shape Up RI Web site...

...Kumar, who founded Shape Up RI, is planning to market the wellness program nationally with his business partner, Brad Weinberg, to major companies nationwide, through a company he established called Providence Health Solutions LLC.