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
  
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  • Association of Self-Perceived Physical Competence and Leisure-Time Physical Activity in ChildhoodA Follow-Up Study  (2017)  
    • Journal of School Health
     Hamari L, Heinonen OJ, Aromaa M, Asanti R, Koivusilta L, Koski P, Laaksonen C, Matomaki J, Pahkala K, Pakarinen A, Suominen S, Salantera S
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Association of Socioeconomic Status in Childhood With Left Ventricular Structure and Diastolic Function in Adulthood The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study  (2017)  
    • JAMA Pediatrics
     Laitinen TT, Puolakka E, Ruohonen S, Magnussen CG, Smith KJ, Viikari JSA, Heinonen OJ, Kartiosuo N, Hutri-Kahonen N, Kahonen M, Jokinen E, Laitinen TP, Tossavainen P, Pulkki-Raback L, Elovainio M, Raitakari OT, Pahkala K, Juonala M
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Cardiometabolic Determinants of Carotid and Aortic Distensibility From Childhood to Early Adulthood  (2017)  
    • Hypertension
     Mikola H, Pahkala K, Niinikoski H, Ronnemaa T, Viikari JSA, Jula A, Juonala M, Raitakari OT
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Risk of Fatty Liver: The Young Finns Study  (2017)  
    • Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
     Palve KS, Pahkala K, Suomela E, Aatola H, Hulkkonen J, Juonala M, Lehtimaki T, Ronnemaa T, Viikari JSA, Kahonen M, Hutri-Kahonen N, Telama R, Tammelin T, Raitakari OT
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Cardiovascular Risk Factors From Childhood and Midlife Cognitive Performance The Young Finns Study  (2017)  
    • Journal of the American College of Cardiology
     Suvi P. Rovio, Katja Pahkala, Jaakko Nevalainen, Markus Juonala, Pia Salo, Mika Kähönen, Nina Hutri-Kähönen, Terho Lehtimäki, Eero Jokinen, Tomi Laitinen, Leena Taittonen, Päivi Tossavainen, Jorma S.A. Viikari, Juha O. Rinne, Olli T. Raitakari
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Childhood Socioeconomic Status and Arterial Stiffness in Adulthood The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study  (2017)  
    • Hypertension
     Puolakka E, Pahkala K, Laitinen TT, Magnussen CG, Hutri-Kahonen N, Kahonen M, Lehtimaki T, Tossavainen P, Jokinen E, Sabin MA, Laitinen T, Elovainio M, Pulkki-Raback L, Viikari JSA, Raitakari OT, Juonala M
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Longitudinal child-oriented dietary intervention: Association with parental diet and cardio-metabolic risk factors. The Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project  (2017)  
    • European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
     Jaakkola JM, Pahkala K, Rönnemaa T, Viikari J, Niinikoski H, Jokinen E, Lagström H, Jula A, Raitakari O
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Childhood Socioeconomic Status in Predicting Metabolic Syndrome and Glucose Abnormalities in Adulthood: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study  (2016)  
    • Diabetes Care
     Puolakka E, Pahkala K, Laitinen TT, Magnussen CG, Hutri-Kahonen N, Tossavainen P, Jokinen E, Sabin MA, Laitinen T, Elovainio M, Pulkki-Raback L, Viikari JSA, Raitakari OT, Juonala M
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Cognitive Performance in Young Adulthood and Midlife: Relations With Age, Sex, and Education-The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study  (2016)  
    • Neuropsychology
     Rovio SP, Pahkala K, Nevalainen J, Juonala M, Salo P, Kähönen M, Hutri-Kähönen N, Lehtimäki T, Jokinen E, Laitinen T, Taittonen L, Tossavainen P, Viikari J, Rinne JO, Raitakari OT
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • East-west differences and migration in Finland: Association with cardiometabolic risk markers and IMT. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study  (2016)  
    • Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
     Vahamurto L, Pahkala K, Magnussen CG, Mikila V, Hutri-Kahonen N, Kahonen M, Laitinen T, Taittonen L, Tosavainen P, Lehtimaki T, Jokinen E, Telama R, Ronnemaa T, Viikari J, Juonala M, Raitakari O
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Genome-wide association analysis identifies three new susceptibility loci for childhood body mass index  (2016)  
    • Human Molecular Genetics
     Felix JF, Bradfield JP, Monnereau C, van der Valk RJP, Stergiakouli E, Chesi A, Gaillard R, Feenstra B, Thiering E, Kreiner-Moller E, Mahajan A, Pitkanen N, Joro R, Cavadino A, Huikari V, Franks S, Groen-Blokhuis MM, Cousminer DL, Marsh JA, Lehtimaki T, Curtin JA, Vioque J, Ahluwalia TS, Myhre R, Price TS, Vilor-Tejedor N, Yengo L, Grarup N, Ntalla I, Ang W, Atalay M, Bisgaard H, Blakemore AI, Bonnefond A, Carstensen L, Eriksson J, Flexeder C, Franke L, Geller F, Geserick M, Hartikainen AL, Haworth CMA, Hirschhorn JN, Hofman A, Holm JC, Horikoshi M, Hottenga JJ, Huang JY, Kadarmideen HN, Kahonen M, Kiess W, Lakka HM, Lakka TA, Lewin AM, Liang L, Lyytikainen LP, Ma BS, Magnus P, McCormack SE, McMahon G, Mentch FD, Middeldorp CM, Murray CS, Pahkala K, Pers TH, Pfaffle R, Postma DS, Power C, Simpson A, Sengpiel V, Tiesler CMT, Torrent M, Uitterlinden AG, van Meurs JB, Vinding R, Waage J, Wardle J, Zeggini E, Zemel BS, Dedoussis GV, Pedersen O, Froguel P, Sunyer J, Plomin R, Jacobsson B, Hansen T, Gonzalez JR, Custovic A, Raitakari OT, Pennell CE, Widen E, Boomsma DI, Koppelman GH, Sebert S, Jarvelin MR, Hypponen E, McCarthy MI, Lindi V, Harri N, Korner A, Bonnelykke K, Heinrich J, Melbye M, Rivadeneira F, Hakonarson H, Ring SM, Smith GD, Sorensen TIA, Timpson NJ, Grant SFA, Jaddoe VWV
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Genome-wide associations for birth weight and correlations with adult disease  (2016)  
    • Nature
     Horikoshi M, Beaumont RN, Day FR, Warrington NM, Kooijman MN, Fernandez-Tajes J, Feenstra B, van Zuydam NR, Gaulton KJ, Grarup N, Bradfield JP, Strachan DP, Li-Gao R, Ahluwalia TS, Kreiner E, Rueedi R, Lyytikainen LP, Cousminer DL, Wu Y, Thiering E, Wang CA, Have CT, Hottenga JJ, Vilor-Tejedor N, Joshi PK, Boh ETH, Ntalla I, Pitkanen N, Mahajan A, van Leeuwen EM, Joro R, Lagou V, Nodzenski M, Diver LA, Zondervan KT, Bustamante M, Marques-Vidal P, Mercader JM, Bennett AJ, Rahmioglu N, Nyholt DR, Ma RCW, Tam CHT, Tam WH, Ganesh SK, van Rooij FJA, Jones SE, Loh PR, Ruth KS, Tuke MA, Tyrrell J, Wood AR, Yaghootkar H, Scholtens DM, Paternoster L, Prokopenko I, Kovacs P, Atalay M, Willems SM, Panoutsopoulou K, Wang X, Carstensen L, Geller F, Schraut KE, Murcia M, van Beijsterveldt CEM, Willemsen G, Appel EVR, Fonvig CE, Trier C, Tiesler CMT, Standl M, Kutalik Z, Bonas-Guarch S, Hougaard DM, Sanchez F, Torrents D, Waage J, Hollegaard MV, de Haan HG, Rosendaal FR, Medina-Gomez C, Ring SM, Hemani G, McMahon G, Robertson NR, Groves CJ, Langenberg C, Luan J, Scott RA, Zhao JH, Mentch FD, MacKenzie SM, Reynolds RM, Lowe WL, Tonjes A, Stumvoll M, Lindi V, Lakka TA, van Duijn CM, Kiess W, Korner A, Sorensen TIA, Niinikoski H, Pahkala K, Raitakari OT, Zeggini E, Dedoussis GV, Teo YY, Saw SM, Melbye M, Campbell H, Wilson JF, Vrijheid M, de Geus EJCN, Boomsma DI, Kadarmideen HN, Holm JC, Hansen T, Sebert S, Hattersley AT, Beilin LJ, Newnham JP, Pennell CE, Heinrich J, Adair LS, Borja JB, Mohlke KL, Eriksson JG, Widen E, Kahonen M, Viikari JS, Lehtimaki T, Vollenweider P, Bonnelykke K, Bisgaard H, Mook-Kanamori DO, Hofman A, Rivadeneira F, Uitterlinden AG, Pisinger C, Pedersen O, Power C, Hypponen E, Wareham NJ, Hakonarson H, Davies E, Walker BR, Jaddoe VWV, Jarvelin MR, Grant SFA, Vaag AA, Lawlor DA, Frayling TM, Smith GD, Morris AP, Ong KK, Felix JF, Timpson NJ, Perry JRB, Evans DM, McCarthy MI, Freathy RM
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Trajectories of Physical Activity Predict the Onset of Depressive Symptoms but Not Their Progression: A Prospective Cohort Study  (2016)  
    • Journal of Sports Medicine
     Kaseva K, Rosenström T, Hintsa T, Pulkki-Råback L, Tammelin T, Lipsanen J, Yang X, Hintsanen M, Hakulinen C, Pahkala K, Hirvensalo M, Hutri-Kähönen N, Raitakari OT, Keltikangas-Järvinen L
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • TV viewing and subclinical cardiac diastolic dysfunction in early midlife. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.  (2016)   Helajärvi H, Ruohonen S, Pahkala K, Heinonen OJ, Viikari J, Raitakari OT
    (    Other publication)


  • A novel common variant in DCST2 is associated with length in early life and height in adulthood  (2015)  
    • Human Molecular Genetics
     van der Valk RJP, Kreiner-Moller E, Kooijman MN, Guxens M, Stergiakouli E, Saaf A, Bradfield JP, Geller F, Hayes MG, Cousminer DL, Korner A, Thiering E, Curtin JA, Myhre R, Huikari V, Joro R, Kerkhof M, Warrington NM, Pitkanen N, Ntalla I, Horikoshi M, Veijola R, Freathy RM, Teo YY, Barton SJ, Evans DM, Kemp JP, St Pourcain B, Ring SM, Smith GD, Bergstrom A, Kull I, Hakonarson H, Mentch FD, Bisgaard H, Chawes B, Stokholm J, Waage J, Eriksen P, Sevelsted A, Melbye M, van Duijn CM, Medina-Gomez C, Hofman A, de Jongste JC, Taal HR, Uitterlinden AG, Armstrong LL, Eriksson J, Palotie A, Bustamante M, Estivill X, Gonzalez JR, Llop S, Kiess W, Mahajan A, Flexeder C, Tiesler CMT, Murray CS, Simpson A, Magnus P, Sengpiel V, Hartikainen AL, Keinanen-Kiukaanniemi S, Lewin A, Alves ADC, Blakemore AI, Buxton JL, Kaakinen M, Rodriguez A, Sebert S, Vaarasmaki M, Lakka T, Lindi V, Gehring U, Postma DS, Ang W, Newnham JP, Lyytikainen LP, Pahkala K, Raitakari OT, Panoutsopoulou K, Zeggini E, Boomsma DI, Groen-Blokhuis M, Ilonen J, Franke L, Hirschhorn JN, Pers TH, Liang L, Huang J, Hocher B, Knip M, Saw SM, Holloway JW, Melen E, Grant SFA, Feenstra B, Lowe WL, Widen E, Sergeyev E, Grallert H, Custovic A, Jacobsson B, Jarvelin MR, Atalay M, Koppelman GH, Pennell CE, Niinikoski H, Dedoussis GV, Mccarthy MI, Frayling TM, Sunyer J, Timpson NJ, Rivadeneira F, Bonnelykke K, Jaddoe VWV
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Association of adiponectin with adolescent cardiovascular health in a dietary intervention study  (2015)  
    • Journal of Pediatrics
     Jaakkola J, Pahkala K, Viitala M, Rönnemaa T, Viikari J, Niinikoski H, Lagström H, Jula A, Simell O, Raitakari O.
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Childhood 25-OH Vitamin D Levels and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Adulthood: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study  (2015)  
    • Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
     Juonala M, Voipio A, Pahkala K, Viikari JSA, Mikkila V, Kahonen M, Hutri-Kahonen N, Jula A, Burgner D, Sabin MA, Marniemi J, Loo BM, Laitinen T, Jokinen E, Taittonen L, Magnussen CG, Raitakari OT
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Cumulative Effect of Psychosocial Factors in Youth on Ideal Cardiovascular Health in Adulthood The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study  (2015)  
    • Circulation
     Pulkki-Raback L, Elovainio M, Hakulinen C, Lipsanen J, Hintsanen M, Jokela M, Kubzansky LD, Hintsa T, Serlachius A, Laitinen T, Pahkala K, Mikkila V, Nevalainen J, Hutri-Kahonen N, Juonala M, Viikari J, Raitakari OT, Keltikangas-Jarvinen L
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Determinants of serum 25(OH)D concentration in young and middle-aged adults. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study  (2015)  
    • Annals of Medicine
     Atte J. W. Voipio, Katja A. Pahkala, Jorma S. A. Viikari, Vera Mikkilä, Costan G. Magnussen, Nina Hutri-Kähönen, Mika Kähönen, Terho Lehtimäki, Satu Männistö, Britt-Marie Loo, Antti Jula, Jukka Marniemi, Markus Juonala, Olli T. Raitakari
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)


  • Distensibility of the Aorta and Carotid Artery and Left Ventricular Mass From Childhood to Early Adulthood.  (2015)  
    • Hypertension
     Hanna Mikola, Katja Pahkala, Tapani Rönnemaa, Jorma S.A. Viikari, Harri Niinikoski, Eero Jokinen, Pia Salo, Olli Simell, Markus Juonala, Olli T. Raitakari
    (    A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)



Last updated on 14/05/2024 03:07:08 PM