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 |
Sydänterveys, preventio, lapsuus, liikunta, ravinto, epidemiologia, pitkittäistutkimukset
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.
- Sydän- ja verisuonisairauksien ehkäisy lapsuudesta alkaen (2014)
- Duodecim
(A2 Vertaisarvioitu katsausartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä) - The STRIP Study: Long-Term Impact of a Low Saturated Fat/Low Cholesterol Diet (2014)
- Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä ) - TV Viewing and Fatty Liver. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (2014)
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
(O2 Muu julkaisu ) - Association of Fitness With Vascular Intima-Media Thickness and Elasticity in Adolescence (2013)
- Pediatrics
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä ) - Body mass index, fitness and physical activity from childhood through adolescence (2013)
- British Journal of Sports Medicine
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä ) - 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
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä ) - 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
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä ) - 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
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä ) - Infancy-onset dietary counseling improves insulin sensitivity in healthy adolescents. The special Turku coronary risk factor intervention project (STRIP) (2013)
- Cardiology
(O2 Muu julkaisu ) - 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
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä ) - Istu ja pala! – Onko istuminen uusi terveysuhka? – Reduced sitting time improves health (2013)
- Duodecim
(A2 Vertaisarvioitu katsausartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä) - Sedentary Behavior and Markers of Hepatic Lipid Load. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (2013)
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
(O2 Muu julkaisu ) - Sedentary behaviours and obesity in adults. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. (2013)
- BMJ Open
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä ) - Childhood Nutrition in Predicting Metabolic Syndrome in Adults (2012)
- Diabetes Care
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä ) - Clustered metabolic risk and leisure-time physical activity in adolescents: effect of dose? (2012)
- British Journal of Sports Medicine
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä ) - Effect of Repeated Dietary Counseling on Serum Lipoproteins From Infancy to Adulthood (2012)
- Pediatrics
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä ) - Fitness, Physical Activity And Aortic Intima-media Thickness In Adolescents (2012)
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
(O2 Muu julkaisu ) - Ideal Cardiovascular Health in Childhood and Cardiometabolic Outcomes in Adulthood The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (2012)
- Circulation
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä ) - Is Sedentary Behavior Associated With Metabolic Syndrome In Adults? The Cardiovascular Risk In Young Finns Study (2012)
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
(O2 Muu julkaisu ) - Left Ventricular Mass and Geometry in Adolescence Early Childhood Determinants (2012)
- Hypertension
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä )



