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NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is Australia's peak body for supporting health and medical research; for developing health advice for the Australian community, health professionals and governments; and for providing advice on ethical behaviour in health care and in the conduct of health and medical research.

As the nation’s leading expert body in health and medical research, the NHMRC set high standards of integrity and scientific rigour, and champion the pursuit of better health outcomes for all Australians.

The NHMRC brings together within a single national organisation the functions of research funding and development of advice. It draws upon the resources of all components of the health system, including governments, medical practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals, researchers, teaching and research institutions, public and private program managers, service administrators, community health organisations, social health researchers and consumers.

Vision and mission

Building pathways to a healthier future through research funding, health guidelines and ethical standards.

The mission statement of the NHMRC is 'Building a healthy Australia'.

How the NHMRC can help

NHMRC has a statutory responsibility under the NHMRC Act 1992 (the Act) to raise the standard of individual and public health throughout Australia and foster the development of consistent health standards between the various states and territories. They advise the community on matters relating to:

  • the improvement of health
  • the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease
  • the provision of health care
  • public health research and medical research
  • ethical issues relating to health.

Information / help lines

  • Call +61 (02) 6217 9000, Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm (AEST).

Recommended links

This information was originally published on healthdirect - NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council.

Last reviewed: February 2023

Information from this partner

Found 34 results

Healthy Eating for Infants, Children and Teenagers | Eat For Health

To achieve and maintain a healthy weight be physically active and choose amounts of nutritious food and drinks to meet your energy needs.

Read more on NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council website

Healthy eating when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding | Eat For Health

Eating well during pregnancy and while breastfeeding has health benefits for you and your baby.

Read more on NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council website

Salt | Eat For Health

You need some salt for good health, but most people eat too much. Australians now eat more salt than ever before. Eating too much salt may increase the risk of developing high blood pressure which is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke and chronic kidney disease. Salt eaten in Australia mostly comes from processed and packaged foods, not just the salt added during cooking or at the table.

Read more on NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council website

What is a serve? | Eat For Health

The Australian dietary guidelines group foods together that share similar nutrients, this creates the five food groups. For example milk, cheese and yogurt are all good sources of calcium, riboflavin, protein and B12. Within each food group the Australian dietary guidelines identifies the serve size of different foods that have roughly the same amount of key nutrients and kilojoules but that also reflect the amount of food commonly eaten in Australia, for example one piece of whole fruit or one slice of bread.

Read more on NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council website

Food safety | Eat For Health

Guideline 5 states that Australians should care for their food; prepare and store it safely. We have a reliable, safe and nutritious food supply in Australia. But food poisoning happens too frequently. More than five million cases of food borne illnesses are estimated to occur every year in Australia. Useful information about ways to keep food safe can be found at the websites below.

Read more on NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council website

Genomics | NHMRC

NHMRC has produced a range of resources on genetics or genomics and human health for consumers, health professionals, researchers and policy makers which can be accessed via the links below.Genetics is a broad field of study that is concerned with heredity and how particular qualities or traits are passed on from parents to offspring.   In the context of human health, genetics examines single genes and how their function and composition can affect growth and development.  

Read more on NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council website

Recommended number of serves for children, adolescents and toddlers | Eat For Health

The dietary patterns in the table below provide the nutrients and energy needed for all children and adolescents of average height with sedentary to moderate activity levels. Additional serves of the five food groups or unsaturated spreads and oils or discretionary choices are needed only by children and adolescents who are taller, more active or in the higher end of a particular age band, to meet additional energy requirements.

Read more on NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council website

Water quality and health | NHMRC

Under the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992, NHMRC has a responsibility to issue guidelines and advise the community, the Commonwealth and States and Territories on matters relating to improving health and preventing disease.

Read more on NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council website

Sugars | Eat For Health

Too much sugar in food or drink can make it high in kilojoules, or ‘energy dense’. This can make it harder to control your weight. It has also been linked with tooth decay. Not all sugars are the same. There are: Naturally occurring sugars These are found in milk, fruit, vegetables and legumes. They are eaten in smaller quantities, along with many important nutrients.

Read more on NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council website

Fat | Eat For Health

Fat are an essential part of our diet and is important for good health. There are different types of fats, with some fats being healthier than others. To help make sure you stay healthy, it is important to eat unsaturated fats in small amounts as part of a balanced diet. When eaten in large amounts, all fats, including healthy fats, can contribute to weight gain. Fat is higher in energy (kilojoules) than any other nutrient and so eating less fat overall is likely to help with weight loss.

Read more on NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council website

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Healthdirect Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and to Elders both past and present.

This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes.

The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.

Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, this publication or any part of it may not be reproduced, altered, adapted, stored and/or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Healthdirect Australia.