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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Effect of Dietary Counseling on a Comprehensive Metabolic Profile from Childhood to Adulthood (2018)
- Journal of Pediatrics
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
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
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
Knowledge, attitude and practice on diet and physical activity among mothers with young children in the Jhaukhel-Duwakot Health Demographic Surveillance Site, Nepal (2018)
- PLoS ONE
Natalia Oli, Abhinav Vaidya, Katja Pahkala, Gabriele Eiben, Alexandra Krettek
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.
Maternal and fetal genetic contribution to gestational weight gain (2018)
- International Journal of Obesity
Warrington NM, Richmond R, Fenstra B, Myhre R, Gaillard R, Paternoster L, Wang CA, Beaumont RN, Das S, Murcia M, Barton SJ, Espinosa A, Thiering E, Atalay M, Pitkanen N, Ntalla I, Jonsson AE, Freathy R, Karhunen V, Tiesler CMT, Allard C, Crawford A, Ring SM, Melbye M, Magnus P, Rivadeneira F, Skotte L, Hansen T, Marsh J, Guxens M, Holloway JW, Grallert H, Jaddoe VWV, Lowe WL, Roumeliotaki T, Hattersley AT, Lindi V, Pahkala K, Panoutsopoulou K, Standl M, Flexeder C, Bouchard L, Nohr E, Marina L, Kogevinas M, Niinikoski H, Dedoussis G, Heinrich J, Reynolds RM, Lakka T, Zeggini E, Raitakari OT, Chatzi L, Inskip HM, Bustamante M, Hivert MF, Jarvelin MR, Sorensen TIA, Pennell C, Felix JF, Jacobsson B, Geller F, Evans DM, Lawlor DA
Neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage, risk factors, and diabetes from childhood to middle age in the Young Finns Study: a cohort study (2018)
- Lancet Public Health
Kivimäki Mika, Vahtera Jussi, Tabák Adam G, Halonen, Jaana I, Vineis Paolo, Pentti Jaana, Pahkala Katja, Rovio Suvi, Viikari Jorma, Kähönen Mika, Juonala Markus, Ferrie Jane E, Stringhini Silvia, Raitakari Olli T
Physical Inactivity from Youth to Adulthood and Risk of Impaired Glucose Metabolism (2018)
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
Petri Kallio, Katja Pahkala, Olli J. Heinonen, Tuija Tammelin, Mirja Hirvensalo, Risto Telama, Markus Juonala, Costan G. Magnussen, Suvi Rovio, Harri Helajärvi, Nina Hutri-Kähönen, Jorma Viikari, Olli T. Raitakari
Six-week endurance exercise alters gut metagenome that is not reflected in systemic metabolism in over-weight women (2018)
- Frontiers in Microbiology
Eveliina Munukka, Juha P. Ahtiainen, Pere Puigbó, Sirpa Jalkanen, Katja Pahkala, Anniina Keskitalo, Urho M. Kujala, Sami Pietilä, Maija Hollmén, Laura Elo, Pentti Huovinen, Giuseppe D'Auria, Satu Pekkala
Success in Achieving the Targets of the 20-Year Infancy-Onset Dietary Intervention: Association With Insulin Sensitivity and Serum Lipids (2018)
- Diabetes Care
Laitinen TT, Nuotio J, Juonala M, Niinikoski H, Rovio S, Viikari JSA, Ronnemaa T, Magnussen CG, Jokinen E, Lagstrom H, Jula A, Simell O, Raitakari OT, Pahkala K
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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