Physical activity and health across the lifespan

The main goals of our research are

• To reveal the life course determinants and trajectories of physically active and sedentary lifestyle, and healthy and unhealthy eating habits
• To reveal the association between built and natural environmental features and physical activity and how changes in these during lifecourse are related to each other
• To study the economic impacts of physical activity and sedentary behavior
• To evaluate the effects of physical activity and sedentary behavior on health and wellbeing
• To develop new methods for activating people using multidisciplinary approach

• Timo Jämsä, Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Oulu
• Helka-Liisa Hentilä, Oulu School of Architecture, University of Oulu
• Mikko Tulppo, Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, University of Oulu
• Harri Antikainen, Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu
• Janne Alahuhta, Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu
• Finnish Centres of Excellence in Sports Medicine (Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Tampere, Helsinki, Turku, Oulu)
• University of Jyväskylä
• Ryoichi Nagatomi, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
• Melody Ding Ding, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Australia

raija.korpelainen[at]oulu.fi

Scientific articles

2023

Kari J, Nerg I, Huikari S, Leinonen A-M, Nurkkala M, Farrahi V, Korpelainen R, Korhonen M (2023) The individual-level productivity costs of physical inactivity. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 55(2): 255-263.

2022

Alahuhta J, Tukiainen H, Toivanen M, Ala-Hulkko T, Farrari V, Hjort J, Ikäheimo TM, Lankila T, Maliniemi T, Puhakka S, Salminen H, Seppänen M, Korpelinen R & Ding Ding M (2022) Acknowledging geodiversity in safeguarding biodiversity and human health. The Lancet Planetary Health, 6(12).

Kärmeniemi M, Lankila T, Rönkkö E, Nykänen K, Koivumaa-Honkanen H & Korpelainen R (2022) Active transportation policy and practice in the city of Oulu from 1998 to 2016 – A mixed methods study. Journal of Transport and Land Use, 15(1).

Lankila T, Puhakka S, Kärmeniemi M, Kangas M, Rusanen J & Korpelainen R (2022) Residential history and changes in perceived health – The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 study. Health & Place, 78.

Salokangas H, Böckerman P, Huikari S, Korhonen M, Korpelainen R, Svento R (2022) Did the Finnish Great Depression Have a Silver Lining? The Effect of Unemployment on Long-Term Physical Activity. Economics and Human Biology, 46:101139.

Kiema-Junes H, Saarinen A, Korpelainen R, Kangas M, Ala-Mursula L, Pyky R, Hintsanen M (2022) More physical activity, more work engagement? A northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 study. J Occup Environ Med, 64(7):541-549.

Rad SA, Kiwanuka F, Korpelainen R, Torkki P (2022) Evidence base of economic evaluations of workplace-based interventions reducing occupational sitting time: an integrative review. BMJ Open, 12(6):e060139.

Farrahi V, Rostami M, Dumuid D, Chastin S, Niemelä M, Korpelainen R, Jämsä T, Oussalah M. (2022) Joint Profiles of Sedentary Time and Physical Activity in Adults and their Associations with Cardiometabolic Health. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 54(12): 2118-2128.

Länsitie M, Kangas M, Jokelainen J, Venojärvi M, Timonen M, Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi S, Korpelainen R (2022). Cardiovascular disease risk and all-cause mortality associated with accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary time – A prospective population-based study in older adults. BMC Geriatrics, 22:729.

Tjurin P, Niemelä M, Kangas M, Nauha L, Vähä-Ypyä H, Sievänen H, Korpelainen R, Farrahi V, Jämsä T. (2022) Cross-Sectional Associations of Sedentary Behavior and Sitting with Serum Lipid Biomarkers in Midlife. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2022, 54(8):1261-1270.

Junno JA, Keisu A, Niemelä M, Modarress Julin M, Korpelainen R, Jämsä T, Niinimäki J, Lehenkari P, Oura P. (2022) Accelerometer-measured physical activity is associated with knee breadth in middle-aged Finns - a population-based study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 23(1):517.

2021

Räihä T, Nerg I, Jurvelin H, Conlin A, Korhonen M, Ala-Mursula L (2021) Evening chronotype is associated with poor work ability and disability pensions at midlife: a Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study. Occup Environ Med, 78(8).

Huikari S, Junttila H, Ala-Mursula L, Jämsä T, Korpelainen R, Miettunen J, Svento R, Korhonen M (2021) Leisure-time physical activity is associated with socio-economic status beyond income - Cross-sectional survey of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 study. Econ Hum Biol, 41:100969.

Kari J, Pehkonen J, Tammelin TH, Hutri-Kähönen N, Raitakari OT (2021) Childhood physical activity as a labor market investment. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 1(1):163-183.

Chong J, Tjurin P, Niemelä M, Jämsä T, Farrahi V. (2021) Machine-learning models for activity class prediction: A comparative study of feature selection and classification algorithms. Gait Posture 89: 45-53.

Farrahi V, Kangas M, Kiviniemi A, Puukka K, Korpelainen R, Jämsä T (2021) Accumulation patterns of sedentary time and breaks and their association with cardiometabolic health markers in adults. Scand J Med Sci Sports 31(7): 1489-1507.

Farrahi V, Kangas M, Walmsey R, Niemelä M, Kiviniemi A, Puukka K, Collings PJ, Korpelainen R, Jämsä T (2021) Compositional associations of sleep and activities within the 24-h cycle with cardiometabolic health markers in adults. Med Sci Sports Exer, 53(2), 324–332.

Länsitie M, Niemelä M, Kangas M, Venojärvi M, Härkönen P, Keinänen‐Kiukaanniemi S, Korpelainen R (2021) Physical activity profiles and glucose metabolism — A population‐based cross‐sectional study in older adults. Transl Sports Med, 4:439–446.

Länsitie M, Kangas M, Jokelainen J, Venojärvi M, Vaaramo E, Härkönen P, Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi S, Korpelainen R (2021) Association between accelerometer-measured physical activity, glucose metabolism, and waist circumference in older adults. Diabetes Res Clin Pract, 178:108937.

2020

Nauha L, Jurvelin H, Ala-Mursula L, Niemelä M, Jämsä T, Kangas M, Korpelainen R. (2020) Chronotypes and Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time at Midlife. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 30(10):1930-1938.

Kujala U M, Palviainen T, Pesonen P, Waller K, Sillanpää E, Niemelä M, Kangas M, Vähä-Ypyä H, Sievänen H, Korpelainen R, Jämsä T, Männikkö M, Kaprio J (2020) Polygenic Risk Scores and Physical Activity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 52(7):1518-1524.

Farrahi V, Niemelä M, Kärmeniemi M, Puhakka S, Kangas M, Korpelainen R, Jämsä T (2020). Correlates of physical activity behavior in adults: a data mining approach. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act, 17(1):94.

Farrahi V, Niemelä M, Tjurin P, Kangas M, Korpelainen R, Jämsä T (2020) Evaluating and enhancing the generalization performance of machine learning models for physical activity intensity prediction from raw acceleration data. IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, 24(1): 27-38.

Modarress JM, Saukkonen J, Oura P, Niemelä M, Junno JA, Määttä J, Niinimäki J, Jämsä T, Korpelainen R, Karppinen J (2020) Association between device-measured physical activity and lumbar Modic changes. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 21(1):630.

Puhakka S, Lankila T, Pyky R, Kärmeniemi M, Niemelä M, Kangas K, Rusanen J, Kangas M, Näyhä S & Korpelainen R (2020). Satellite imaging-based residential greenness and accelerometry measured physical activity at midlife – Population-based Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (24), 9202.

2019

Kärmeniemi M, Lankila T, Ikäheimo T, Puhakka S, Niemelä M, Jämsä T, Koivumaa-Honkanen H, Korpelainen R (2019) Residential relocation trajectories and neighborhood density, mixed land use and access networks as predictors of walking and bicycling in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act, 16, 88.

Niemelä M, Kiviniemi A, Kangas M, Farrahi V, Leinonen A-M, Ahola R, Tammelin T, Puukka K, Auvinen J, Korpelainen R, Jämsä T (2019) Prolonged bouts of sedentary time and cardiac autonomic function in mid-life. Transl Sports Med, 2:341–350.

Modarress-Sadeghi M, Oura P, Junno J-A, Niemelä M, Niinimäki J, Jämsä T, Korpelainen R, Karppinen J (2019). Objectively Measured Physical Activity Is Associated with Vertebral Size in Midlife. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 51(8):1606-1612.

NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) (2019) Rising rural body-mass index is the main driver of the global obesity epidemic in adults. Nature vol 567, p 260 -264

NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2019) National trends in total cholesterol obscure heterogeneous changes in HDL and non-HDL cholesterol and total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio: a pooled analysis of 458 population-based studies in Asian and Western countries. Int J Epidemiol, 49(1), 173–192.

Tjurin P, Niemelä M, Kangas M, Vähä-Ypyä H, Sievänen H, Jämsä T, Korpelainen R (2019). Accelerometry-based characteristics of overall sedentary behavior and sitting in middle-aged adults. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science. 23(3), 249-257.

Farrahi V, Niemelä M, Kangas M, Korpelainen R, Jämsä T (2019). Calibration and validation of accelerometer-based activity monitors: A systematic review of machine-learning approaches. Gait & Posture, 68, 285-299.

Niemelä M, Kangas M, Farrahi V, Kiviniemi A, Leinonen A-M, Ahola R, Puukka K, Auvinen J, Korpelainen R, Jämsä T (2019). Intensity and temporal patterns of physical activity and cardiovascular disease risk in midlife. Preventive Medicine, 124:33-41.

Niemelä M, Kangas M, Ahola R, Auvinen J, Leinonen A-M, Tammelin T, Vaaramo E, Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi S, Korpelainen R, Jämsä T (2019). Dose-response relation of self-reported and accelerometer-measured physical activity to perceived health in middle age—the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study. BMC Public Health, 19(1):21.

Oura P, Nurkkala M, Auvinen J, Niinimäki J, Karppinen J & Junno J-A (2019) The Association of Body Size, Shape and Composition with Vertebral Size in Midlife – The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study. Sci Rep, 9(1):3944.

Oura P, Auvinen J, Paananen M, Junno JA, Niinimäki J, Karppinen J, Nurkkala M. (2019) Dairy- and supplement-based calsium intake in adulthood and vertebral dimensions in midlife - the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study. Osteoporos Int, 30(5):985-994.

Oura P, Niinimäki J, Karppinen J, Nurkkala M. (2019) Eating Behavior Traits, Weight Loss Attempts, and Vertebral Dimensions Among the General Northern Finnish Population. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), 44(21):E1264-E1271.

2018

Kärmeniemi M, Lankila T, Ikäheimo T, Koivumaa-Honkanen H, Korpelainen R (2018) The Built Environment as a Determinant of Physical Activity: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies and Natural Experiments. Ann Behav Med, 52(3):239-251.

2017

Oura P, Paananen M, Niinimäki J, Tammelin T, Auvinen J, Korpelainen R, Karppinen J, Junno JA (2017). High-impact exercise in adulthood and vertebral dimensions in midlife - the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 18: 433.

Tjurin P, Niemelä M, Huusko M, Ahola R, Kangas M, Jämsä T (2017). Classification of physical activites and sedentary behavior using raw data of 3D hip acceleration. Proc. in IFMBE 65:872-875 (conference paper)

Ruokolainen O, Auvinen J, Linton S, Herrala S, Eskola P, Paananen M, Korpelainen R, Karppinen J (2017). ÖMPSQ-short score and determinants of chronic pain: cross-sectional results from a middle-aged birth cohort. European Journal of Physical Rehabilitation Medicine, 54(1):34-40.

Kiviniemi AM, Perkiömäki N, Auvinen J, Niemelä M, Tammelin T, Puukka K, Ruokonen A, Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi S, Tulppo MP, Järvelin M-R, Jämsä T, Huikuri HV, Korpelainen R (2017). Fitness, Fatness, Physical Activity, and Autonomic Function in Midlife. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 49(12):2459-2468.

Leinonen A-M, Ahola R, Kulmala J, Hakonen H, Vähä-Ypyä H, Herzig K-H, Auvinen J, Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi S, Sievänen H, Tammelin TH, Korpelainen R, Jämsä T (2017). Measuring Physical Activity in Free-Living Conditions - Comparison of Three Accelerometry-Based Methods. Frontiers in Physiology, 7:681.

2016

Oura P, Paananen M, Niinimäki J, Tammelin T, Herrala S, Auvinen J, Korpelainen R, Junno J-A, Karppinen J (2016). Effects of Leisure-Time Physical Activity on Vertebral Dimensions in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. Scientific Reports, 6:27844.

Kiviniemi AM, Perkiömäki N, Auvinen J, Herrala S, Hautala AJ, Ahola R, Tammelin T, Tulppo MP, Järvelin MR, Korpelainen R & Huikuri HV (2016). Lifelong Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Autonomic Function in Midlife. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(8): 1506-1513.