A new study of results from Shape Up Rhode Island shows the statewide weight-loss and fitness competition succeeded at helping people shed pounds at a minimal cost, offering a model that could be replicated elsewhere.

The study, published in the journal Obesity, was conducted by Rena Wing, professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and director of the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center at The Miriam Hospital.

Launched in 2005 by Rajiv Kumar, then a medical student, Shape Up Rhode Island is a nonprofit that aims to promote fitness and weight loss through team-based competition, all coordinated online to keep costs low and reach a broad population. Many teams are sponsored by employers or organizations, and all compete on the basis of weight lost, pedometer steps and exercise minutes. Wing analyzed data from the 2007 Shape Up competition.

A total of 4,717 people participated, 84 percent of them women. Each paid just $15 – and employers paid the fee for 62 percent of them. Some dropped out, but 3,311, or 70.2 percent, completed at least 12 weeks of the 16-week program.

Completers reported losing, on average, slightly more than 7 pounds, and 30 percent lost a “clinically significant” amount of weight, 5 percent or more of their total weight. While those were “modest” weight losses, Wing found, they were enough to reduce the share of the participants who were obese from 39 percent to 31 percent.

“We evaluated the results and showed that this is an effective way to reach large numbers of people,” said Wing. That is important, the study notes, because “given the epidemic of obesity,” weight-loss strategies are needed that can be applied on a community, state or national level. The Shape Up data can now serve as a benchmark, she said, to compare with other statewide campaigns, and to help improve such campaigns.

Some possible ways to make the campaigns more effective, Wing said, would be to include diet and exercise education, teach ways to change behavior, or offer access to health coaches.

The study is available online. For more information about Shape Up Rhode Island, go to www.shapeupri.com.