Preferred pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Viviane Fornasaro-Donahue, MS is a registered dietitian with the Center for Bariatric Surgery at The Miriam Hospital and the Lifestyle Medicine Center.
Fornasaro-Donahue received her bachelor's degree in nutrition from the Universidade São Camilo in São Paulo, in her native Brazil. She earned a master of science degree in nutrition and food sciences from the University of Rhode Island in Kingston.
Her research report on understanding the factors affecting breastfeeding motivation was published in Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. She is trained and certified as a counselor in intuitive eating, an approach to a healthier lifestyle that does not emphasize weight.
She helps patients prepare for optimal surgical success and engage in long-lasting healthy habits.
Fornasaro-Donahue believes that bariatric surgery combined with the individual's adoption of healthy behaviors is fundamentally different from going on a weight-loss diet in that most diets are temporary, but behavioral changes can be maintained long term. Her philosophy is that healthy nutrition starts with a healthy relationship between mind and body.
She is fluent in Portuguese.