Review of the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines

The Australian Government has provided NHMRC with $2.5 million in funding to review the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines (the Guidelines). In 2023, the Australian Government provided an additional $1.75 million for development of dietary guidance for the general Australian population aged 65+ years (or 50+ years for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples). The review will ensure the Guidelines remain a trusted resource by considering the best and most recent scientific evidence.

NHMRC has begun the task of revising the Guidelines, with the first step being a scan of the latest nutrition science research and evidence from Australia and overseas.

Diet is a huge topic. NHMRC is using existing evidence where available and commissioning new evidence reviews for some important evidence gaps. To learn more about the evidence review process, see the Reviewing the evidence page.

Read more about the approach to consider the evidence on diet and sustainability in NHMRC’s Update on the Australian Dietary Guidelines.

For answers to frequently asked questions, visit the FAQs page.

How to get involved

NHMRC recognises the importance of stakeholder input into the revision of the Guidelines.

Three public calls for evidence have been conducted:

1. Two public calls for systematic reviews (2023 and 2024). To learn how any submitted systematic reviews were considered, visit Reviewing the evidence.
2. A public call for primary studies to contribute to commissioned evidence reviews. For more information, visit New evidence reviews and FAQs.

Other opportunities for stakeholders to get involved are outlined on Communication.

Committees

Two Committees and a Working Group have been established under section 39 of the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992, to provide advice on the revision to the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines.

• Dietary Guidelines Expert Committee (the Expert Committee)
  • Appointed to advise NHMRC on the evidence to be considered and the final recommendations in the revised dietary guidelines.
  • The Expert Committee represents a wide range of expertise to ensure the evidence and the final recommendations are accurate and appropriate for Australians.
• Dietary Guidelines Governance Committee (the Governance Committee)
  • As part of NHMRC's commitment to best practice and transparency, this committee has been appointed to consider possible conflicts of interest and potential bias across the revision process.
  • The Governance Committee provides a clear and consistent approach to managing potential bias and actual or perceived conflicts of interest.
• Dietary Guidelines Sustainability Working Group (the Sustainability Working Group)
  • Advises the Expert Committee on the strength and quality of evidence about sustainability and diet (accessible, affordable and equitable diets with low environmental impacts).
     

Dietary Guidelines contact list

NHMRC has created an Australian Dietary Guidelines contact list to provide stakeholders with updates on the revision process. All interested stakeholders are invited to subscribe to the Australian Dietary Guidelines contact list via the form below. NHMRC will use this contact list during the review to communicate opportunities for stakeholder involvement.