Local residents watched a Tai Chi demonstration and three-year-olds ran the 100-yard dash Sunday at the second annual "Shape Up Somerville" five kilometer run-walk.
The event - run through the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy's program for Somerville children - included the five kilometer run-walk, a 1.5 mile race for children 9 to 14 years old, and a 100-yard dash for 3-to 8-year-olds.
Dr. Michael Coffey, of Family Medicine at Ball Square, created the event last year. "I was interested in having an event that would get my patients up and moving," he said.
The number of participants in the five kilometer run-walk went up this year to 159 from 133 last year. The event was held at Trum Field on Broadway.
About 50 red-shirted volunteers - some of them Tufts students - managed the event. The event included a performance by a hip-hop and gymnastics group, Jamnymnastics, a yoga class for children, O2 Yoga, and other outdoor games.
The run-walk is part of the Friedman School's "Shape Up Somerville: Eat Smart. Play Hard." program, which was founded by professor Christina Economos in 2002.
The program helps Somerville schools improve the nutritional quality of the food available to children. One study with the Somerville School Food Service Department had children at ten elementary schools taste-test a specific fruit and vegetable each month and vote on whether or not to add it to the cafeteria menu.
"Shape Up Somerville" bought schools new kitchen equipment and trained cafeteria workers in nutrition and how to prepare vegetarian and healthful meals.
Another of the program's initiatives - called "Cool Moves" - trained teachers to incorporate physical activities into their classrooms. "Shape Up Somerville's" after school program frequently takes children to a local organic farm in Concord.
