Professor Markku Savolainen, Biocenter Oulu and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Oulu

Host: Sirpa Jalkanen (sirjal@utu.fi)

Professor Markku Savolainen, MD, has made an impressive life’s work (197 publications) on prevention of cardiovascular diseases. His research has focused especially on the nutritional aspects and on the body weight loss aspects as preventive measures of cardiovascular diseases. The research group of professor Savolainen has developed a Web-based health behavior change support system to help lose weight. In addition, professor Savolainen will discuss the new cholesterol drugs and new slimming drugs.

Selected publications

Teeriniemi AM, Salonurmi T, Jokelainen T, Vähänikkilä H, Alahäivälä T, Karppinen P, Enwald H, Huotari ML, Laitinen J, Oinas-Kukkonen H, Savolainen MJ. A randomized clinical trial of the effectiveness of a Web-based health behaviour change support system and group lifestyle counselling on body weight loss in overweight and obese subjects: 2-year outcomes. J Intern Med. 2018 Jul 4. doi: 10.1111/joim.12802. [Epub ahead of print]

Karppinen P, Oinas-Kukkonen H, Alahäivälä T, Jokelainen T, Teeriniemi AM, Salonurmi T, Savolainen MJ. Opportunities and challenges of behavior change support systems for enhancing habit formation: A qualitative study. J Biomed Inform. 2018 Aug;84:82-92. doi: 10.1016/j.jbi.2018.06.012. Epub 2018 Jun 21.