Rate My Professor Brenda Leung

Dr. Brenda Leung is an Associate Professor in Public Health within the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge, where she holds the Emmy Droog Chair in Complementary and Alternative Health Care. She also serves as Director of the Collaborative Health Research Institute of Southern Alberta. Her academic background includes a Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia, a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, a Master of Science from the University of Calgary with a thesis on naturopathic medicine in children, and a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Calgary. Previously, she was an adjunct assistant professor in Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine and a Visiting Research Fellow at the Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney.

Dr. Leung's research focuses on public health and epidemiology, emphasizing non-pharmaceutical interventions such as nutrition, supplements, and complementary therapies for mental health disorders including ADHD, anxiety, and depression across the lifespan from fetal development to young adulthood. She has led studies on multi-nutrient supplementation for ADHD, demonstrating improvements in behavior and growth in children, published in European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Key publications include 'Predictors of Postpartum Depression in Partnered Mothers' (2017), a pilot study on acupuncture treatment for anxiety in children (2018), 'Fruit and Vegetable Intake is Inversely Associated with Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety' (2023), and 'Role of Nutrients for COVID-19 Recovery: An Integrative Approach' (2021). Her contributions include establishing an evidence-based research program in complementary and alternative health care, integrating it into nursing and health sciences curricula, mentoring students, and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations in neuroscience, mental health, nutrition, and maternal-child health. She has shared her expertise through public lectures, videos, and podcasts, enhancing awareness of alternative therapies.