Brenda Abu
Assistant Professor
Brenda Abu
Assistant Professor
Education
BS, University for Development Studies (Ghana); MPhil, University of Ghana (Ghana); Ph.D., University of the Free State (South Africa)
Bio
Dr. Abu is an Assistant Professor in the Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition at RIT. She was formerly a Post-doctoral Research Associate in the Nutritional Sciences Department at Texas Tech University. Dr. Abu received her PhD in Nutrition from the University of the Free State (South Africa), a Masters in Nutrition from the University of Ghana and a Bachelor of Science Degree (Honors) in Community Nutrition from the University for Development Studies (Ghana).
Dr. Abu has experience as a clinical dietician, lecturer and nutrition consultant. Her research interests include micronutrient deficiencies, food security, maternal and child nutrition, program/project design and impact assessment, and stakeholder engagement. She works with others using a multi-disciplinary approach, to addressing food and nutrition security among college students and senior citizens (USA). She is also involved with addressing anemia in low-income communities using sustainable food-based approaches while facilitating stakeholder engagement (Ghana).
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In the News
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May 24, 2022
RIT researcher studies pica practices and iron nutrition among pregnant women
Brenda Abu, assistant professor in RIT’s Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition, seeks to understand the effect pica, iron deficiency anemia, and food insecurity have on maternal health during pregnancy. Pica refers to excessive craving and/or eating of non-food items, such as, clay, soil, paper, ice, and paint chips.