Woodbury based pediatrician Mary Ellen Renna, MD is on a mission to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States. She has developed a unique family-based nutrition and fitness program designed specifically for children and their families entitled Next Generation Nutrition with Mary Ellen Renna, MD.

The two-part program, comprised of a nutritional guide book and companion exercise DVD, teaches parents how to get their children to make the right nutrition and exercise choices that will last a lifetime.

Renna is a board certified pediatrician who has made early childhood nutrition and exercise a priority in her practice. "We have been focusing most of our efforts on the wrong population... adults," said Renna. "The key to good nutrition and a healthier lifestyle is to start at a young age."

This is not a weight loss program, according to Renna, but rather a lifestyle program that she calls Grow Big with a color system to educate parents and children on the recommended elements of a varied, balanced and nutritious diet. The guidebook is filled with easy to make nutritious recipes.

The DVD contains three 3-minute workout routines that offer resistance training combined with aerobic exercise specifically designed to meet the needs of growing children.

Dr. Renna received the prestigious PREP Education Award from the American Academy of Pediatricians from 1993 - 2003. The American Medical Association awarded her the Physicians Recognition Award from 1995 - 2007. She also received the Stony Brook Foundation Award for academic achievement and research.

Renna is the senior and founding partner in the pediatric practice of Renna, Sachse and Shapiro, MD, PC, located in Woodbury.

For more information, visit www.NextGenerationFitnessUSA.com.