Katja Pahkala
Professor, Head of Paavo Nurmi Centre
| Centre for Population Health Research, Paavo Nurmi Centre
katpah@utu.fi
+358 40 578 6122
Kiinamyllynkatu 10
Turku
|
Areas of expertise
Cardiovascular health, prevention, childhood, physical activity, diet, epidemiology, longitudinal studies
Biography
I have devoted my research career to examining early life determinants of cardiometabolic health with the ultimate aim to improve primordial prevention of cardiometabolic diseases.
Research
I am a long-standing senior researcher and the vice director of the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine (CAPC), and a member of the executive committee of the Centre for Population Health Research. I am also the vice principal investigator of the globally unique atherosclerosis prevention trial, the STRIP study (Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project), which commenced in 1989 and has extensively studied the 1062 participants since age 7 months to 26 years with repeated assessment of diet, lifestyle and versatile cardiometabolic health markers. I am also an active member of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, started in the late 1970´s. The study involves originally 3596 participants from different parts of Finland. As highlights of my career, in 2014 I received the Academy of Finland’s Postdoctoral Researcher grant, and in 2019 I was invited to receive A/Professorship in Preventive Medicine (tenure track), and I was also awarded the Academy of Finland’s Research Fellowship. In 2023, I achieved full-Professorship in Preventive Medicine. In 2024, I began as a Head of the Paavo Nurmi Centre, a centre of expertise in sports & exercise medicine.
Teaching
I have supervised 15 undergraduate studies and six doctoral studies. Currently I supervise six doctoral students and one undergraduate student.
Publications
- Genetic predisposition to higher body fat yet lower cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents (2019)
- International Journal of Obesity
Anna Viitasalo, Theresia M. Schnurr, Niina Pitkänen, Mette Hollensted, Tenna R. H. Nielsen, Katja Pahkala, Niina Lintu, Mads V. Lind, Mustafa Atalay, Christine Frithioff-Bøjsøe, Cilius E. Fonvig, Niels Grarup, Mika Kähönen, Anni Larnkjaer, Oluf Pedersen, Jens-Christian Holm, Kim F. Michaelsen, Timo A. Lakka, Terho Lehtimäki, Olli Raitakari, Torben Hansen, Tuomas O. Kilpeläinen
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Longitudinal effect of 20-year infancy-onset dietary intervention on food consumption and nutrient intake: the randomized controlled STRIP study (2019)
- European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Laurie A. Matthews, Suvi P. Rovio, Johanna M Jaakkola, Harri Niinikoski, Hanna Lagström, Antti Jula, Jorma S. A. Viikari, Tapani Rönnemaa, Olli Simell, Olli T. Raitakari, Katja Pahkala
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Low-saturated-fat and low-cholesterol diet does not alter pubertal development and hormonal status in adolescents (2019) Sergey Sadov, Helena E. Virtanen, Katharina M. Main, Anna‐Maria Andersson, Anders Juul, Antti Jula, Olli T. Raitakari, Katja Pahkala, Harri Niinikoski, Jorma Toppari
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Maternal and fetal genetic effects on birth weight and their relevance to cardio-metabolic risk factors (2019) Warrington N.M., Beaumont R.N., Horikoshi M., Day F.R., Helgeland Ø., Laurin C., Bacelis J., Peng S., Hao K., Feenstra B., Wood A.R., Mahajan A., Tyrrell J., Robertson N.R., Rayner N.W., Qiao Z., Moen G.-H., Vaudel M., Marsit C.J., Chen J., Nodzenski M., Schnurr T.M., Zafarmand M.H., Bradfield J.P., Grarup N., Kooijman M.N., Li-Gao R., Geller F., Ahluwalia T.S., Paternoster L., Rueedi R., Huikari V., Hottenga J.-J., Lyytikäinen L.-P., Cavadino A., Metrustry S., Cousminer D.L., Wu Y., Thiering E., Wang C.A., Have C.T., Vilor-Tejedor N., Joshi P.K., Painter J.N., Ntalla I., Myhre R., Pitkänen N., van Leeuwen E.M., Joro R., Lagou V., Richmond R.C., Espinosa A., Barton S.J., Inskip H.M., Holloway J.W., Santa-Marina L., Estivill X., Ang W., Marsh J.A., Reichetzeder C., Marullo L., Hocher B., Lunetta K.L., Murabito J.M., Relton C.L., Kogevinas M., Chatzi L., Allard C., Bouchard L., Hivert M.-F., Zhang G., Muglia L.J., Heikkinen J., Morgen C.S., van Kampen A.H.C., van Schaik B.D.C., Mentch F.D., Langenberg C., Luan J., Scott R.A., Zhao J.H., Hemani G., Ring S.M., Bennett A.J., Gaulton K.J., Fernandez-Tajes J., van Zuydam N.R., Medina-Gomez C., de Haan H.G., Rosendaal F.R., Kutalik Z., Marques-Vidal P., Das S., Willemsen G., Mbarek H., Müller-Nurasyid M., Standl M., Appel E.V.R., Fonvig C.E., Trier C., van Beijsterveldt C.E.M., Murcia M., Bustamante M., Bonas-Guarch S., Hougaard D.M., Mercader J.M., Linneberg A., Schraut K.E., Lind P.A., Medland S.E., Shields B.M., Knight B.A., Chai J.-F., Panoutsopoulou K., Bartels M., Sánchez F., Stokholm J., Torrents D., Vinding R.K., Willems S.M., Atalay M., Chawes B.L., Kovacs P., Prokopenko I., Tuke M.A., Yaghootkar H., Ruth K.S., Jones S.E., Loh P.-R., Murray A., Weedon M.N., Tönjes A., Stumvoll M., Michaelsen K.F., Eloranta A.-M., Lakka T.A., van Duijn C.M., Kiess W., Körner A., Niinikoski H., Pahkala K., Raitakari O.T., Jacobsson B., Zeggini E., Dedoussis G.V., Teo Y.-Y., Saw S.-M., Montgomery G.W., Campbell H., Wilson J.F., Vrijkotte T.G.M., Vrijheid M., de Geus E.J.C.N., Hayes M.G., Kadarmideen H.N., Holm J.-C., Beilin L.J., Pennell C.E., Heinrich J., Adair L.S., Borja J.B., Mohlke K.L., Eriksson J.G., Widén E.E., Hattersley A.T., Spector T.D., Kähönen M., Viikari J.S., Lehtimäki T., Boomsma D.I., Sebert S., Vollenweider P., Sørensen T.I.A., Bisgaard H., Bønnelykke K., Murray J.C., Melbye M., Nohr E.A., Mook-Kanamori D.O., Rivadeneira F., Hofman A., Felix J.F., Jaddoe V.W.V., Hansen T., Pisinger C., Vaag A.A., Pedersen O., Uitterlinden A.G., Järvelin M.-R., Power C., Hyppönen E., Scholtens D.M., Lowe W.L., Jr, Davey Smith G., Timpson N.J., Morris A.P., Wareham N.J., Hakonarson H., Grant S.F.A., Frayling T.M., Lawlor D.A., Njølstad P.R., Johansson S., Ong K.K., McCarthy M.I., Perry J.R.B., Evans D.M., Freathy R.M.; EGG Consortium
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Physical activity from childhood to adulthood and cognitive performance in midlife (2019)
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
Hakala J.O., Rovio S.P., Pahkala K., Nevalainen J., Juonala M., Hutri-Kähönen N., Heinonen O.J., Hirvensalo M., Telama R., Viikari J.S., Tammelin T.H., Raitakari O.T.
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Predicting overweight and obesity in young adulthood from childhood body-mass index: comparison of cutoffs derived from longitudinal and cross-sectional data (2019)
- The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health
Kartiosuo N, Ramakrishnan R, Lemeshow S, Juonala M, Burns TL, Woo JG, Jr DR, Daniels SR, Venn A, Steinberger J, Urbina EM, Bazzano L, Sabin MA, Hu T, Prineas RJ, Sinaiko AR, Pahkala K, Raitakari O, Dwyer T, Dwyer T
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Socioeconomic position and intergenerational associations of ideal health behaviors (2019)
- European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
Komulainen K., Mittleman M.A., Jokela M., Laitinen T.T., Pahkala K., Elovainio M., Juonala M., Tammelin T., Kähönen M., Raitakari O., Keltikangas-Järvinen L., Pulkki-Råback L.
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- The Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort study: socio-economic status at birth and cardiovascular risk factors to 25 years of age (2019)
- Medical Journal of Australia
Juonala M., Sjöholm P., Pahkala K., Ellul S., Kartiosuo N., Davison B., Singh G.
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- The Early Growth Genetics (EGG) and EArly Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology (EAGLE) consortia: design, results and future prospects (2019)
- European Journal of Epidemiology
Middeldorp CM, Mahajan A, Horikoshi M, Robertson NR, Beaumont RN, Bradfield JP, Bustamante M, Cousminer DL, Day FR, De Silva NM, Guxens M, Mook-Kanamori DO, St Pourcain B, Warrington NM, Adair LS, Ahlqvist E, Ahluwalia TS, Almgren P, Ang W, Atalay M, Auvinen J, Bartels M, Beckmann JS, Bilbao JR, Bond T, Borja JB, Cavadino A, Charoen P, Chen ZH, Coin L, Cooper C, Curtin JA, Custovic A, Das S, Davies GE, Dedoussis GV, Duijts L, Eastwood PR, Eliasen AU, Elliott P, Eriksson JG, Estivill X, Fadista J, Fedko IO, Frayling TM, Gaillard R, Gauderman WJ, Geller F, Gilliland F, Gilsanz V, Granell R, Grarup N, Groop L, Hadley D, Hakonarson H, Hansen T, Hartman CA, Hattersley AT, Hayes MG, Hebebrand J, Heinrich J, Helgeland O, Henders AK, Henderson J, Henriksen TB, Hirschhorn JN, Hivert MF, Hocher B, Holloway JW, Holt P, Hottenga JJ, Hypponen E, Iniguez C, Johansson S, Jugessur A, Kahonen M, Kalkwarf HJ, Kaprio J, Karhunen V, Kemp JP, Kerkhof M, Koppelman GH, Korner A, Kotecha S, Kreiner-Moller E, Kulohoma B, Kumar A, Kutalik Z, Lahti J, Lappe JM, Larsson H, Lehtimaki T, Lewin AM, Li J, Lichtenstein P, Lindgren CM, Lindi V, Linneberg A, Liu XP, Liu J, Lowe WL, Lundstrom S, Lyytikainen LP, Ma RCW, Mace A, Magi R, Magnus P, Mamun AA, Mannikko M, Martin NG, Mbarek H, McCarthy NS, Medland SE, Melbye M, Melen E, Mohlke KL, Monnereau C, Morgen CS, Morris AP, Murray JC, Myhre R, Najman JM, Nivard MG, Nohr EA, Nolte IM, Ntalla I, O'Reilly P, Oberfield SE, Oken E, Oldehinkel AJ, Pahkala K, Palviainen T, Panoutsopoulou K, Pedersen O, Pennell CE, Pershagen G, Pitkanen N, Plomin R, Power C, Prasad RB, Prokopenko I, Pulkkinen L, Raikkonen K, Raitakari OT, Reynolds RM, Richmond RC, Rivadeneira F, Rodriguez A, Rose RJ, Salem R, Santa-Marina L, Saw SM, Schnurr TM, Scott JG, Selzam S, Shepherd JA, Simpson A, Skotte L, Sleiman PMM, Snieder H, Sorensen TIA, Standl M, Steegers EAP, Strachan DP, Straker L, Strandberg T, Taylor M, Teo YY, Thiering E, Torrent M, Tyrrell J, Uitterlinden AG, van Beijsterveldt T, van der Most PJ, van Duijn CM, Viikari J, Vilor-Tejedor N, Vogelezang S, Vonk JM, Vrijkotte TGM, Vuoksimaa E, Wang CA, Watkins WJ, Wichmann HE, Willemsen G, Williams GM, Wilson JF, Wray NR, Xu SJ, Xu CJ, Yaghootkar H, Yi L, Zafarmand MH, Zeggini E, Zemel BS, Hinney A, Lakka TA, Whitehouse AJO, Sunyer J, Widen EE, Feenstra B, Sebert S, Jacobsson B, Njolstad PR, Stoltenberg C, Smith GD, Lawlor DA, Paternoster L, Timpson NJ, Ong KK, Bisgaard H, Bonnelykke K, Jaddoe VWV, Tiemeier H, Jarvelin MR, Evans DM, Perry JRB, Grant SFA, Boomsma DI, Freathy RM, McCarthy MI, Adair LS, Ahlqvist E, Ahluwalia TS, Almgren P, Ang W, Atalay M, Beaumont RN, Beckmann JS, Bisgaard H, Bond T, Bonnelykke K, Boomsma DI, Borja JB, Bradfield JP, Bustamante M, Cavadino A, Charoen P, Coin L, Cooper C, Cousminer DL, Curtin JA, Custovic A, Das S, Day FR, De Silva NM, Dedoussis GV, Elliott P, Eriksson JG, Evans DM, Fadista J, Feenstra B, Felix JF, Frayling TM, Freathy RM, Gaillard R, Geller F, Gilsanz V, Grant SFA, Grarup N, Groop L, Guxens M, Hadley D, Hakonarson H, Hansen T, Hattersley AT, Hayes MG, Hebebrand J, Heinrich J, Helgeland O, Henriksen TB, Hinney A, Hirschhorn JN, Hivert MF, Hocher B, Holloway JW, Horikoshi M, Hottenga JJ, Hypponen E, Jacobsson B, Jaddoe VWV, Jarvelin MR, Johansson S, Kalkwarf HJ, Kerkhof M, Korner A, Kotecha S, Kreiner-Moller E, Kulohoma B, Kutalik Z, Lakka TA, Lappe JM, Lawlor DA, Lehtimaki T, Lewin AM, Lindgren CM, Lindi V, Linneberg A, Liu XP, Liu J, Lowe WL, Ma RCW, Mace A, Magi R, Magnus P, Mahajan A, McCarthy NS, McCarthy MI, Melbye M, Mohlke KL, Monnereau C, Mook-Kanamori DO, Morgen CS, Morris AP, Murray JC, Myhre R, Njolstad PR, Nohr EA, Ntalla I, O'Reilly P, Oberfield SE, Oken E, Ong KK, Panoutsopoulou K, Pedersen O, Pennell CE, Perry JRB, Pitkanen N, St Pourcain B, Power C, Prasad RB, Prokopenko I, Raitakari OT, Reynolds RM, Richmond RC, Rodriguez A, Salem R, Saw SM, Schnurr TM, Sebert S, Shepherd JA, Simpson A, Skotte L, Sorensen TIA, Standl M, Steegers EAP, Strachan DP, Sunyer J, Taylor M, Teo YY, Thiering E, Timpson NJ, Tyrrell J, Uitterlinden AG, van Duijn CM, Vogelezang S, Vrijkotte TGM, Wang CA, Warrington NM, Watkins WJ, Wichmann HE, Widen EE, Willemsen G, Wilson JF, Yaghootkar H, Zafarmand MH, Zeggini E, Zemel BS, Ahluwalia TS, Auvinen J, Bartels M, Bilbao JR, Bisgaard H, Bonnelykke K, Boomsma DI, Bradfield JP, Bustamante M, Chen ZH, Curtin JA, Custovic A, Smith GD, Davies GE, Duijts L, Eastwood PR, Eliasen AU, Estivill X, Evans DM, Fedko IO, Felix JF, Gauderman WJ, Gilliland F, Granell R, Grant SFA, Guxens M, Hakonarson H, Hartman CA, Heinrich J, Henders AK, Henderson J, Holt P, Hottenga JJ, Hypponen E, Iniguez C, Jacobsson B, Jaddoe VWV, Jarvelin MR, Jugessur A, Kahonen M, Kaprio J, Karhunen V, Kemp JP, Koppelman GH, Kumar A, Lahti J, Larsson H, Lawlor DA, Lehtimaki T, Li J, Lichtenstein P, Lundstrom S, Lyytikainen LP, Magnus P, Mamun AA, Mannikko M, Martin NG, Mbarek H, Medland SE, Melen E, Middeldorp CM, Najman JM, Nivard MG, Nolte IM, Oldehinkel AJ, Pahkala K, Palviainen T, Paternoster L, Pennell CE, Pershagen G, Pitkanen N, Plomin R, St Pourcain B, Power C, Pulkkinen L, Raikkonen K, Raitakari OT, Richmond RC, Rivadeneira F, Rose RJ, Santa-Marina L, Scott JG, Sebert S, Selzam S, Simpson A, Sleiman PMA, Snieder H, Standl M, Stoltenberg C, Strachan DP, Straker L, Strandberg T, Sunyer J, Thiering E, Tiemeier HN, Timpson NJ, Torrent M, Uitterlinden AG, van Beijsterveldt T, van der Most PJ, van Duijn CM, Viikari J, Vilor-Tejedor N, Vonk JM, Vrijkotte TGM, Vuoksimaa E, Wang CA, Whitehouse AJO, Willemsen G, Williams GM, Wray NR, Xu SJ, Xu CJ, Yi L, Zafarmand MH, Zafarmand MH
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Variants in the fetal genome near pro-inflammatory cytokine genes on 2q13 associate with gestational duration (2019) Xueping Liu, Dorte Helenius, Line Skotte, Robin N. Beaumont, Matthias Wielscher, Frank Geller, Julius Juodakis, Anubha Mahajan, Jonathan P. Bradfield, Frederick T.J. Lin, Suzanne Vogelezang, Mariona Bustamante, Tarunveer S. Ahluwalia, Niina Pitkänen, Carol A. Wang, Jonas Bacelis, Maria C. Borges, Ge Zhang, Bruce A. Bedell, Robert M. Rossi, Kristin Skogstrand, Shouneng Peng, Wesley K. Thompson, Vivek Appadurai, Debbie A. Lawlor, Ilkka Kalliala, Christine Power, Mark I. McCarthy, Heather A. Boyd, Mary L. Marazita, Hakon Hakonarson, M. Geoffrey Hayes, Denise M. Scholtens, Fernando Rivadeneira, Vincent W.V. Jaddoe, Rebecca K. Vinding, Hans Bisgaard, Bridget A. Knight, Katja Pahkala, Olli Raitakari, Øyvind Helgeland, Stefan Johansson, Pål R. Njølstad, João Fadista, Andrew J. Schork, Ron Nudel, Daniel E. Miller, Xiaoting Chen, Matthew T. Weirauch, Preben Bo Mortensen, Anders D. Børglum, Merete Nordentoft, Ole Mors, Ke Hao, Kelli K. Ryckman, David M. Hougaard, Leah C. Kottyan, Craig E. Pennell, Leo-Pekka Lyytikainen, Klaus Bønnelykke, Martine Vrijheid, Janine F. Felix, William L. Lowe Jr, Struan F.A. Grant, Elina Hyppönen, Bo Jacobsson, Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin, Louis J. Muglia, Jeffrey C. Murray, Rachel M. Freathy, Thomas M. Werge, Mads Melbye, Alfonso Buil, Bjarke Feenstra
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Youth and Long-Term Dietary Calcium Intake With Risk of Impaired Glucose Metabolism and Type 2 Diabetes in Adulthood (2019)
- Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Feitong Wu, Markus Juonala, Katja Pahkala, Marie-Jeanne Buscot, Matthew A Sabin, Niina Pitkänen, Tapani Rönnemaa, Antti Jula, Terho Lehtimäki, Nina Hutri-Kähönen, Mika Kähönen, Tomi Laitinen,Jorma S A Viikari, Olli T Raitakari, Costan G Magnussen
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Both youth and long-term vitamin D status is associated with risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adulthood: a cohort study (2018) Feitong Wu, Markus Juonala, Niina Pitkänen, Antti Jula, Terho Lehtimäki, Matthew A. Sabin, Katja Pahkala, Nina Hutri-Kähönen, Mika Kähönen, Tomi Laitinen, Jorma S. A. Viikari, Costan G. Magnussen, Olli T. Raitakari
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Childhood socioeconomic status and lifetime health behaviors: The Young Finns Study (2018)
- International Journal of Cardiology
Elina Puolakka, Katja Pahkala, Tomi T. Laitinen, Costan G. Magnussen, Nina Hutri-Kähönen, Satu Männistö, Kristiina S. Pälve, Tuija Tammelin, Päivi Tossavainen, Eero Jokinen, Kylie J. Smith, Tomi Laitinen, Marko Elovainio, Laura Pulkki-Råback, Jorma S.A. Viikari, Olli T. Raitakari, Markus Juonala
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Early life determinants of cardiovascular health in adulthood. The Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort study (2018)
- International Journal of Cardiology
Pauline Sjöholm, Katja Pahkala, Belinda Davison, Markus Juonala, Gurmeet R. Singh
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Education as a moderator of genetic risk for higher body mass index: prospective cohort study from childhood to adulthood (2018)
- International Journal of Obesity
Komulainen K, Pulkki-Raback L, Jokela M, Lyytikainen LP, Pitkanen N, Laitinen T, Hintsanen M, Elovainio M, Hintsa T, Jula A, Juonala M, Pahkala K, Viikari J, Lehtimaki T, Raitakari O, Keltikangas-Jarvinen L
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Effect of Dietary Counseling on a Comprehensive Metabolic Profile from Childhood to Adulthood (2018) Miia Lehtovirta, Katja Pahkala, Harri Niinikoski, Antti J. Kangas, Pasi Soininen, Hanna Lagström, Jorma S.A. Viikari, Tapani Rönnemaa, Antti Jula, Mika Ala-Korpela, Peter Würtz, Olli T. Raitakari
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Geographic origin as a determinant of left ventricular mass and diastolic function – the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (2018)
- Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
L. Vähämurto, M. Juonala, S. Ruohonen, N. Hutri-Kähönen, M. Kähönen, T. Laitinen, P. Tossavainen, E. Jokinen, J. Viikari, O.T. Raitakari, K. Pahkala
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Impact of Ideal Cardiovascular Health in Childhood on the Retinal Microvasculature in Midadulthood: Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (2018)
- Journal of the American Heart Association
Matthew D. Campbell, Tomi T. Laitinen, Alun Hughes, Katja Pahkala, Markus Juonala, Mika Kähönen, Tien Y. Wong, Terho Lehtimäki, Nina Hutri-Kähönen, Olli T. Raitakari, Robyn J. Tapp
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Knowledge, attitude and practice on diet and physical activity among mothers with young children in the Jhaukhel-Duwakot Health Demographic Surveillance Site, Nepal (2018) Natalia Oli, Abhinav Vaidya, Katja Pahkala, Gabriele Eiben, Alexandra Krettek
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)
- Longitudinal physical activity trajectories from childhood to adulthood and their determinants: The Young Finns Study (2018)
- Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports
Rovio S.P., Yang X., Kankaanpää A., Aalto V., Hirvensalo M., Telama R., Pahkala K., Hutri-Kähönen N., Viikari J.S.A., Raitakari O.T., Tammelin T.H.
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)