The World’s happiest country launches a 100-year study to understand human wellbeing
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The Future Finland study invites families expecting a baby to participate
view moreCredit: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
The country consistently ranked as the world’s happiest is launching one of the most ambitious wellbeing studies ever undertaken.
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is launching Future Finland, a century-long research initiative that will follow the entire generation of children born in Finland between 2025 and 2029, together with their families.
At the heart of the project is a cohort, expected to include around 200,000 families. Researchers will study how health, living conditions, family environments, and societal change interact to shape wellbeing over time.
Because of its scale and duration, the study could become one of the most important long-term datasets on human wellbeing ever created.
Finland offers a uniquely strong foundation for this kind of research: high-quality population registers, strong public trust in science, and institutions that can support research over generations. The findings could benefit not only Finland, but also help transform how wellbeing is understood around the world.
Understanding the roots of wellbeing
Humanity has never had more knowledge, wealth or technological progress. Yet many societies are facing rising mental health challenges, loneliness and growing social uncertainty. Future Finland aims to understand the roots of these trends.
“Long-term research like this is part of the responsibility of an educated and forward-looking society,” says President Sauli Niinistö, patron of the project.
“A century-long perspective may provide answers to questions we do not yet even know how to ask. The knowledge created through this research can benefit future generations in Finland and potentially around the world.”
How the study works
By combining long-term population registers, survey data and health measurements, the study will examine how biological, behavioural and social factors influence wellbeing throughout life.
The research seeks to identify critical turning points in life – moments when wellbeing trajectories begin to form and when timely support could make the greatest difference.
“We believe the direction of human wellbeing can be changed within a single generation,” says Mika Salminen, Director General of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
“But we cannot solve problems whose roots we do not understand. Long-term research helps identify the causes of wellbeing – and the most effective ways to strengthen it.”
The study will explore major challenges facing societies today, including mental health, health inequalities, lifestyle-related diseases and the impact of global changes on children’s future prospects.
Further information
Documentary film (4 minutes)
THL created a touching documentary film for the research launch, featuring four couples expecting a child. As a surprise finale, each couple was presented with an AI-generated imaginary future child they could have a real-time conversation with. In the end, the children invited the parents to join the study. You can watch the video on Youtube.
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