Anthony Lee

About

I am a registered social worker, counsellor, psychotherapist, and psychology researcher with more than 30 years of professional experience in Hong Kong, Canada, and the UK. I hold a Master of Social Work from the University of Hong Kong and a Master of Science in Psychology from the University of Westminster, and am currently undertaking PhD research in Psychology at the University of Chichester. My practice integrates compassionate listening with evidence-informed approaches, including CBT, ACT, and DBT, supporting individuals, young people, and families to understand challenges, develop strengths, and enhance wellbeing.

I am undertaking my PhD at the University of Chichester to deepen my psychological research expertise and contribute evidence-based knowledge that supports improved mental health, wellbeing, and practice. I am passionate about my research topic because I believe it is highly relevant to the physical and mental health of people of all ages. My supervisors have provided valuable insights and thoughtful guidance, helping me to identify and develop my research area and making the University of Chichester an important and meaningful part of my PhD journey

PhD Title and Summary

Psychosocial Challenges of Ketogenic Diets for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in Western and East Asian Cultural Contexts: The Roles of Family, Peers, and Healthcare Professionals

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the fastest-growing chronic diseases worldwide and, contrary to earlier assumptions that associated it primarily with high-income populations, is now recognised as a genuinely global health issue affecting low-, middle-, and high-income countries alike. According to the International Diabetes Federation’s Diabetes Atlas (10th edition), an estimated 10.5% of adults aged 20–79 worldwide — approximately 537 million people — were living with diabetes in 2021, a figure projected to rise to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045 (International Diabetes Federation, 2023). It is important to note that these figures capture all forms of diabetes; Type 2 diabetes is estimated to account for roughly 90–95% of cases globally (International Diabetes Federation, 2023), and this proposal uses the term T2DM specifically rather than treating aggregate diabetes statistics as interchangeable with it.

Traditional pharmacological management of T2DM has typically followed a stepwise model: lifestyle advice, followed by monotherapy — commonly metformin — with additional oral agents or injectable therapies introduced sequentially as glycaemic control deteriorates, progressing in many patients to insulin (American Diabetes Association, 2024).

Contemporary research suggests that ketone bodies act not merely as an alternative fuel source but as signalling molecules with anti-inflammatory properties (Pietrzak et al., 2022), and that carbohydrate restriction can reduce exogenous and endogenous insulin demand, potentially supporting partial recovery of beta-cell function in some patients.

The existing evidence base is dominated by Western clinical trials that report biochemical outcomes almost exclusively, with comparatively little attention to how the emotional and social demands of a ketogenic diet differ between individualistic and collectivist social environments. There is, in particular, a lack of research that measures cultural orientation and family dynamics directly, rather than inferring them from a patient’s nationality or ethnic background.

This doctoral research aims to address that gap through a sequential, multi-study design that examines the psychosocial correlates of ketogenic diet adherence in T2DM, with cultural orientation and family/peer support measured directly rather than assumed. The research will characterise the psychological and social factors associated with adherence and wellbeing during a structured ketogenic intervention, examine the specific roles played by family, peers, and clinical professionals, and generate recommendations for culturally responsive dietary support in routine care.

Supervision Team

• Dr Roy Spina

• Dr James Haley

• Dr Phoebe Simmons

Publications

• An Inquiry into the Function of Residents’ Organisation as the Solution to the Management Problems in Private Multi-Storey Building, Hong Kong, 1983

• Mental Health Needs Study for Chinese Youth in Markham, Canada (1986–1987)

• Adolescents Voice Their Needs: Mental Health Needs Study for Markham and Scarborough Chinese Youth, Canada (2000–2001)

• Cultural Dynamics and Cybercrime Victimisation: An Investigation of Cross-National Differences between the UK and China (UK, 2023