Name: Project Viva
Address: 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA, 02215, US
Telephone: 617-867-4251

A Study of Health for The Next Generation

Project Viva is a ground breaking longitudinal research study of women and their children. The initial goal of Project Viva was to find ways to improve the health of mothers and children by looking at the effects of mother's diet as well as other factors during pregnancy and after birth. Over the past two decades, Project Viva has expanded its focus to include a wider range of experiences that influence health extending into midlife for the mothers, and young adulthood for their children. Health exposures of interest now include not only diet but also physical activity, sleep, environmental chemicals, air pollution, stressors, mental health, and others.

Project Viva is now moving into a new chapter where we will work with mothers and young adults as separate study participants, instead of pairs. Watch this video to see what’s coming up.

Ask Us Anything!

We gave Viva participants the opportunity to send in questions about the study for our Principal Investigators, Dr. Emily Oken and Dr. Marie-France Hivert. Marleny Ortega, long-time Project Viva Phlebotomist and Sr. Project Coordinator, sat down with Dr. Oken and Dr. Hivert to discuss and respond to these questions.

News & Announcements

Viva Cited in New Clinical Guidelines on PFAS

Project Viva research was cited in new August 2022 guidelines from National Academy of Science, recommending Primary Care Physicians measure PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in patients who may have an increased exposure based on their occupation or community. PFAS are a large, complex group of manufactured chemicals that are ingredients in various everyday products. This is the first environmental exposure to be recommended for regular testing since Lead testing was introduced. Read more about this new guidance here!

COVID-19 & Mental Health

We recently collected information on mental health during two COVID-19 surveys administered in 2021 and 2022. About 1,000 moms and young adults participated in each of the COVID-19 surveys. Read our Summer 2022 Viva Views newsletter for a preview of what we found.