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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 53 results

Eat For Health

The Australian Dietary Guidelines (the Guidelines) provide up-to-date advice about the amount and kinds of foods that we need to eat for health and wellbeing. The recommendations are based on scientific evidence, developed after looking at good quality research.

Read more on NHMRC website

Eat for health calculators | Eat For Health

The Eat for health program provides up-to-date advice about the amounts and kinds of foods that we need to eat for health and wellbeing. The recommendations are based on the latest scientific evidence, developed after looking at all the good quality research. These calculators can estimate your energy (kilojoule) needs, nutrient requirements and the number of serves from the five food groups you need daily.

Read more on NHMRC 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 website

Healthy eating throughout all of life | Eat For Health

The Australian dietary guidelines will help people of all ages make the best food and drink choices for good health and avoid health problems. However, there are also some special messages for people at different stages of life because their bodies are changing. Healthy eating for infants, children and teenagers Infants, children and teenagers have special food needs because they are growing and developing. They also need extra energy for playing and being more active.

Read more on NHMRC website

Healthy eating for infants, children and teenagers | Eat For Health

Infants, children and teenagers have special food needs because they are growing and developing. They also need extra energy for playing and being more active.

Read more on NHMRC 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 website

How to understand food labels | Eat For Health

Food labels can be very confusing and tricky to understand. Often we don’t have the time to spend trying to work out what they mean and how to use them. However, a few quick tips can make shopping for healthy food a whole lot easier and quicker and can help you lose weight. Knowing what nutrition information to look for, can help you make the best choice for your health and avoid unnecessary saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and kilojoules.

Read more on NHMRC website

Tips for eating well | Eat For Health

The recommendations in the Australian dietary guidelines and Australian guide to healthy eating help us choose foods for good health and to reduce our risk of chronic health problems.

Read more on NHMRC website

Choosing nutritious foods | Eat For Health

Everyday we have lots of choices about what to eat and drink. Discretionary foods are higher in saturated fat, added salt, added sugar and kilojoules. The Australian dietary guidelines, recommend that we choose widely from the five food groups and limit discretionary foods that are higher in saturated fat, added salt and added sugars.

Read more on NHMRC website

Food shopping tips | Eat For Health

Once you know which the healthier choices in the supermarket are, shopping can actually get easier, quicker and cheaper.

Read more on NHMRC 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.