Pontus Henriksson

Senior Associate Professor

My research examine how health behaviors influence our health and how we can promote health behaviors throughout the life span.

Importance of health behaviors

I am a senior associate professor in nutritional physiology and lead the NICE (Nutrition In Clinical research & Epidemiology) research group. My research investigates the influence of health behaviors and factors such as dietary habits, physical activity and fitness, body weight and body composition on health outcomes. I also study how we can promote health behaviors in different ways, for example whether digital interventions can be effective in improving health behaviors across different groups and ages.

I teach nutrition and scientific approach in different educational programs at the Faculty of Medicine. I appreciate the opportunity to combine my interests in nutrition, science and teaching.

About me

CV

2023: Senior Associate Professor in Nutritional Physiology, Linköping University.
2020: Associate Professor in Nutritional Physiology, Linköping University.
2015: PhD in Medical Sciences, Linköping University.
2010: Master's degree, Umeå University.
2006: Registered Dietitian, Umeå University.

Teaching

Course coordinator and examiner for the PhD course SCAIR (Scientific Communication And Information Retrieval).
Member of the scientific approach (VF) group in the medical program.
Teaching nutrition and scientific approach in various programs at the Faculty of Medicine.
Examiner of Master's Theses (30 ECTS) in the Medical Program.
Small group tutor in different semesters of the medical program.

Supervision and other assignments

Main supervisor for three PhD students and four postdoctoral researchers.
Co-supervisor for six PhD students.
Supervisor of degree projects (30 credits) in the medical program.
Alternate Member of the Department Board, Department of Health, Medicine, and Care.
Alternate Member of the Ethics Review Board in Linköping.
Member of the Review Committee for PhD Admissions, Department of Health, Medicine, and Care.

Publications

Pontus Henriksson, Hanna Henriksson, Per Tynelius, Daniel Berglind, Marie Löf, I-Min Lee, Eric J. Shiroma, Francisco B. Ortega (2019)

Fitness and Body Mass Index During Adolescence and Disability Later in Life A Cohort Study

Annals of Internal Medicine , Vol.170 , s.230-+ Continue to DOI

Pontus Henriksson, Johanna Sandborg, Emmie Söderström, Marja H. Leppanen, Victoria Snekkenes, Marie Blomberg, Francisco B. Ortega, Marie Löf (2021)

Associations of body composition and physical fitness with gestational diabetes and cardiovascular health in pregnancy: Results from the HealthyMoms trial

Nutrition & Diabetes , Vol.11 Continue to DOI

Pontus Henriksson, Eric J. Shiroma, Hanna Henriksson, Per Tynelius, Daniel Berglind, Marie Löf, I-Min Lee, Francisco B. Ortega (2021)

Fit for life? Low cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescence is associated with a higher burden of future disability

British Journal of Sports Medicine , Vol.55 , s.128-129 Continue to DOI

2026

Anna Seiterö, Alicia Ruiz-Moreno, Adriana Alcarazo, Carmen Garrido-Gonzalez, Maria I Ballesta-Rodriguez, Pontus Henriksson, Rodrigo A. Lima, Yolanda Alvarez-Perez, Rafael Enrique Reigal, Henar Campos Paino, Juan Angel Bellon, Emma Motrico, Maria Flores-Lopez, Maria Rodriguez-Ayllon (2026)

Co-designed web platform (TeenFit) to identify physical activity mobile apps for Spanish adolescents: a study protocol BMJ Open, Vol. 16, Article e114465 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-114465

Joel Crawford, Katarina Åsberg, Jenny Blomqvist, Oskar Lundgren, Hanna Henriksson, Pontus Henriksson, Preben Bendtsen, Marie Löf, Marcus Bendtsen (2026)

Effectiveness of the Components of a Digital Multiple Health Behavior Change Intervention Among Individuals Seeking Help Online (Coach): Factorial Randomized Trial JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH, Vol. 28, Article e88881 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.2196/88881

Katarina Korwel, Katarina Pihl Lesnovska, Ángel Herraiz-Adillo, Pontus Henriksson, Henrik Hjortswang (2026)

Prevalence and risk factors for malnutrition based on the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based study Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, Vol. 73, Article 102988 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2026.102988

Xiangyu Qiao, Vanessa William Toma, Jing Wang, Ángel Herraiz-Adillo, Simon Söderholm, Daniel Berglind, Susanna Calling, Bledar Daka, Mats Martinell, Frida Bergman, Pontus Henriksson, Bijar Ghafouri, Martin Ulander, Carl Johan Östgren, Claudio Cantù, Wen Zhong, Fredrik Iredahl (2026)

Genetic predisposition to coffee consumption and the association with the early risk of atherosclerosis Scientific Reports, Vol. 16, Article 9652 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-44122-2

Anna Seiterö, Pontus Henriksson, Kristin Thomas, Marie Lof, Marcus Bendtsen, Ulrika Müssener (2026)

Adolescents' Engagement With an mHealth Multiple Health Behavior Change Intervention (LIFE4YOUth): Mixed Methods and Qualitative Comparative Analysis JMIR mhealth and uhealth, Vol. 14, Article e88054 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.2196/88054

Organisation

Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences (HMV)

The research areas at HMV include experimental basic research to clinical, social and public health research. We conduct high-quality education in the sought-after care professions.

Division of Society and Health (SH)

We are an interdisciplinary division with research and education in several subject areas. The division consist of two units, Health Care Analysis and Public Health Science, and includes the Master´s programme in Medical Science.

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (MEDFAK)

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences conducts research and education within medicine, healthcare and public health.

News

Physician measures a young man's blood pressure.

High blood pressure in adolescence a silent risk

A blood pressure as low as 120/80 mm Hg in adolescence is linked to a higher risk of atherosclerosis in middle age. These findings indicate that high blood pressure early in life plays an important role in the development of coronary artery disease.

Body weight important in pregnancy – regardless of country of birth

Overweight is a major contributor to complications during pregnancy and childbirth – this applies to both women born in Sweden and women who have moved here, something that has not been well researched so far.

Physical fitness in adolescence linked to less atherosclerosis later

Men who were physically fit when they were young had a lower risk of atherosclerosis almost 40 years later. These findings suggest that atherosclerosis is one of the mechanisms behind the link between physical fitness and cardiovascular disease.

a coarse brush is applied to the back of the hand

SEK 64 million to research in medicine and health

Fourteen researchers at LiU have received grants totalling more than SEK 64 million. This is the result when the Swedish Research Council has awarded nearly SEK 1.1 billion in research grants for the medical and health sciences.

Woman holding a cell phone with the app Healthy moms.

App helps pregnant women to a healthy lifestyle

Researchers have developed and evaluated an app that helps women achieve a healthy weight gain during a pregnancy. Using the app contributed to a better diet. Pregnant women with overweight or obesity who received the app also gained less weight.

A jogger with bad condition is getting behind the other joggers.

Poor fitness and obesity linked to later chronic disease

Obesity and poor fitness in adolescence are associated with receiving disability pension due to cardiovascular disease later in life, according to a study. The good news are that even a small improvement in fitness is associated with lower risk.