Katja Pahkala profile picture
Katja
Pahkala
Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine (CAPC)
Professor, Head of Paavo Nurmi Centre

Contact

+358 40 578 6122
Kiinamyllynkatu 10
20520
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.

Teaching

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

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.

Publications

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Association of Physical Activity with Metabolic Profile from Adolescence to Adulthood (2023)

Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports
Lehtovirta Miia, Wu Feitong, Rovio Suvi P, Heinonen Olli J, Laitinen Tomi T, Niinikoski Harri, Lagström Hanna, Viikari Jorma SA, Rönnemaa Tapani, Jula Antti, Ala-Korpela Mika, Raitakari Olli T, Pahkala Katja
(A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä )

Blood Pressure at Different Life Stages Over the Early Life Course and Intima-Media Thickness (2023)

JAMA Pediatrics
Meng Yaxing, Sharman James E., Koskinen Juhani S., Juonala Markus, Viikari Jorma S. A., Buscot Marie-Jeanne, Wu Feitong, Fraser Brooklyn J., Rovio Suvi P., Kahonen Mika, Rönnemaa Tapani, Jula Antti, Niinikoski Harri, Raitakari Olli T., Pahkala Katja, Magnussen Costan G.
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))

A Proposed Pediatric Clinical Cardiovascular Health Reference Standard (2023)

American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Petito LC, McCabe ME, Pool LR, Krefman AE, Perak AM, Marino BS, Juonala M, Kähönen M, Lehtimäki T, Bazzano LA, Liu L, Pahkala K, Laitinen TT, Raitakari OT, Gooding HC, Daniels SR, Skinner AC, Greenland P, Davis MM, Wakschlag LS, Van Horn L, Hou L, Lloyd-Jones DM, Labarthe DR, Allen NB
(Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tai data-artikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä (A1))