Food is Medicine, Motion is Emotion, and Healthy Habits last a Lifetime.
Swatantra Mitta, MD, FAAP, ABLM, is board certified in pediatrics and a certified lifestyle medicine physician. She received her medical degree from Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad, India. Her pediatric residency was completed at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, NY, followed by a pediatric hematology oncology fellowship at Downstate Medical Center and a pediatric oncology and chemotherapy fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, NY. She is a fellow of the American Board of Pediatrics.
Known for her compassionate approach to care, Dr. Mitta is deeply committed to preventive medicine. Her certification in Lifestyle Medicine reflects her belief that true health begins long before illness develops. She emphasizes the six pillars of lifestyle medicine: balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, restorative sleep, avoidance of risky substances, strong social connections, and effective stress management. Through this holistic approach, she empowers patients and families to build lifelong healthy habits.
Dr. Mitta is particularly passionate about preventing obesity and chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and emotional health disorders. She strongly advocates for introducing healthy nutrition and lifestyle practices early in life, recognizing their long-term benefits for individuals, families, and communities. Her efforts contribute not only to improved health outcomes but also to reduced healthcare costs and a stronger, healthier society.
Her current community initiatives include leading a Walk with a Doc chapter in Clifton Park, collaborating with Food for Life through the Plantrician Project, and teaching cooking classes at the YMCA. She works with the Farm to Backpack program to bring fresh produce and whole foods to schoolchildren and supports a free “Preschool Picky Eater” program for economically challenged families with preschoolers that will now be offered at other local Y branches. Dr. Mitta is also planning a future teaching kitchen at local community centers.
Through the Swatantra and Srinivas Mitta Foundation, she supports philanthropic projects in the United States and India, including adopting two schools in her hometown. These initiatives provide nutrition counseling, medical camps, sports programs, music, meditation, and vocational training to empower youth and adults. She also organizes senior social gatherings, youth engagement programs, health fairs, and educational seminars—fostering connection, inclusion, and wellness across generations. Finally, in all areas of her work, Dr. Mitta is environmentally conscious.
A woman of extensive skills and ambitions, Dr. Mitta, is always exercising her mind and body. Tennis, hiking, golf, learning Sanskrit, chanting, exercise, along with yoga and meditation, are all activities she enjoys in her free time. Dr. Mitta is fluent in Hindi, Telugu, and Urdu, which allows her to expand her patient base and accommodate those who are also fluent in such languages.