Professor, Head of Paavo Nurmi Centre Katja Pahkala - UTU Research Portal

Katja Pahkala
Professor, Head of Paavo Nurmi Centre

- Professor,
Cardiovascular Medicine (CAPC) (Centre for Population Health Research (POP Centre))

Centre for Population Health Research, Paavo Nurmi Centre

katpah@utu.fi

+358 40 578 6122

Kiinamyllynkatu 10

Turku

Cardiovascular health, prevention, childhood, physical activity, diet, epidemiology, longitudinal studies

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.

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.

I have supervised 15 undergraduate studies and six doctoral studies. Currently I supervise six doctoral students and one undergraduate student.

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The STRIP Study: Long-Term Impact of a Low Saturated Fat/Low Cholesterol Diet (2014)
- Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports
Niinikoski H., Pahkala K., Viikari J., Rönnemaa T., Jula A., Lagström H., Simell O., Raitakari O.
TV Viewing and Fatty Liver. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (2014)
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
Helajarvi H, Pahkala K, Heinonen OJ, Oikonen M, Tammelin T, Viikari JSA, Raitakari OT
Association of Fitness With Vascular Intima-Media Thickness and Elasticity in Adolescence (2013)
- Pediatrics
Pahkala K, Laitinen TT, Heinonen OJ, Viikari JSA, Ronnemaa T, Niinikoski H, Helajarvi H, Juonala M, Simell O, Raitakari OT
Body mass index, fitness and physical activity from childhood through adolescence (2013)
- British Journal of Sports Medicine
Pahkala K, Hernelahti M, Heinonen OJ, Raittinen P, Hakanen M, Lagstrom H, Viikari JSA, Ronnemaa T, Raitakari OT, Simell O
Childhood lifestyle and clinical determinants of adult ideal cardiovascular health: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, the Childhood Determinants of Adult Health Study, the Princeton Follow-up Study. (2013)
- International Journal of Cardiology
Laitinen TT, Pahkala K, Venn A, Woo JG, Oikonen M, Dwyer T, Mikkilä V, Hutri-Kähönen N, Smith KJ, Gall SL, Morrison JA, Viikari JS, Raitakari OT, Magnussen CG, Juonala M
Ideal Cardiovascular Health in Adolescence Effect of Lifestyle Intervention and Association With Vascular Intima-Media Thickness and Elasticity (The Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Children [STRIP] Study) (2013)
- Circulation
Pahkala K, Hietalampi H, Laitinen TT, Viikari JSA, Ronnemaa T, Niinikoski H, Lagstrom H, Talvia S, Jula A, Heinonen OJ, Juonala M, Simell O, Raitakari OT
Ideal cardiovascular health in young adult populations from the United States, Finland, and Australia and its association with cIMT: the international childhood cardiovascular cohort consortium. (2013)
- Journal of the American Heart Association
Oikonen M, Laitinen TT, Magnussen CG, Steinberger J, Sinaiko AR, Dwyer T, Venn A, Smith KJ, Hutri-Kähönen N, Pahkala K, Mikkilä V, Prineas R, Viikari JS, Morrison JA, Woo JG, Chen W, Nicklas T, Srinivasan SR, Berenson G, Juonala M, Raitakari OT
Infancy-onset dietary counseling improves insulin sensitivity in healthy adolescents. The special Turku coronary risk factor intervention project (STRIP) (2013)
- Cardiology
Oranta O, Pahkala K, Ruottinen S, Niinikoski H, Lagstrom H, Viikari JSA, Jula A, Loo BM, Ronnemaa T, Raitakari OT
Infancy-Onset Dietary Counseling of Low-Saturated-Fat Diet Improves Insulin Sensitivity in Healthy Adolescents 15-20 Years of Age The Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project (STRIP) study (2013)
- Diabetes Care
Oranta O, Pahkala K, Ruottinen S, Niinikoski H, Lagstrom H, Viikari JSA, Jula A, Loo BM, Simell O, Ronnemaa T, Raitakari OT
Istu ja pala! – Onko istuminen uusi terveysuhka? – Reduced sitting time improves health (2013)
- Duodecim
Helajärvi Harri, Pahkala Katja, Raitakari Olli, Tammelin Tuija, Viikari Jorma, Heinonen Olli
Sedentary Behavior and Markers of Hepatic Lipid Load. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (2013)
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
Helajarvi HT, Pahkala K, Heinonen OJ, Oikonen M, Viikari J, Raitakari O
Sedentary behaviours and obesity in adults. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. (2013)
- BMJ Open
Heinonen I, Helajarvi H, Pahkala K, Heinonen OJ, Hirvensalo M, Palve K, Tammelin T, Yang X, Juonala M, Mikkila V, Kahonen M, Lehtimaki T, Viikari J, Raitakari OT
Childhood Nutrition in Predicting Metabolic Syndrome in Adults (2012)
- Diabetes Care
Jaaskelainen P, Magnussen CG, Pahkala K, Mikkila V, Kahonen M, Sabin MA, Fogelholm M, Hutri-Kahonen N, Taittonen L, Telama R, Laitinen T, Jokinen E, Lehtimaki T, Viikari JSA, Raitakari OT, Juonala M
Clustered metabolic risk and leisure-time physical activity in adolescents: effect of dose? (2012)
- British Journal of Sports Medicine
Pahkala K., Heinonen O.J., Lagström H., Hakala P., Hakanen M., Hernelahti M., Ruottinen S., Sillanmäki L., Rönnemaa T., Viikari J., Raitakari O.T., Simell O.
Effect of Repeated Dietary Counseling on Serum Lipoproteins From Infancy to Adulthood (2012)
- Pediatrics
Niinikoski H, Pahkala K, Ala-Korpela M, Viikari J, Ronnemaa T, Lagstrom H, Jokinen E, Jula A, Savolainen MJ, Simell O, Raitakari OT
Fitness, Physical Activity And Aortic Intima-media Thickness In Adolescents (2012)
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
Pahkala K, Heinonen OJ, Simell O, Viikari JSA, Ronnemaa T, Helajarvi H, Niinikoski H, Raitakari OT
Ideal Cardiovascular Health in Childhood and Cardiometabolic Outcomes in Adulthood The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (2012)
- Circulation
Laitinen TT, Pahkala K, Magnussen CG, Viikari JSA, Oikonen M, Taittonen L, Mikkila V, Jokinen E, Hutri-Kahonen N, Laitinen T, Kahonen M, Lehtimaki T, Raitakari OT, Juonala M
Is Sedentary Behavior Associated With Metabolic Syndrome In Adults? The Cardiovascular Risk In Young Finns Study (2012)
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
Helajarvi H, Pahkala K, Heinonen OJ, Ilkka H, Tammelin T, Hirvensalo M, Mansikkaniemi K, Viikari J, Raitakari O
Left Ventricular Mass and Geometry in Adolescence Early Childhood Determinants (2012)
- Hypertension
Hietalampi H, Pahkala K, Jokinen E, Ronnemaa T, Viikari JSA, Niinikoski H, Heinonen OJ, Salo P, Simell O, Raitakari OT
Toisen asteen koulutusvalinnan yhteys nuorten ruokatottumuksiin – STRIP-projekti (2012)
- Sosiaalilääketieteellinen Aikakauslehti
- Sotilaslääketieteellinen aikakauslehti
Lagström H, Talvia S, Pahkala K, Salo P, Saarinen M, Myyrinmaa A, Niinikoski H