The Dietary Guidelines Sustainability Working Group (the Working Group) advises on the strength and quality of evidence about sustainability and diet (accessible, affordable and equitable diets with low environmental impacts). The Working Group reports to the Dietary Guidelines Expert Committee (the Expert Committee) as part of the revision of the Australian Dietary Guidelines (the Guidelines).

About the Guidelines

The Guidelines provide the evidence base for Australia's public health nutrition policies and practices. They support healthy food choices and eating behaviours for all Australians.

While the 2013 Guidelines included messages about the environmental impact of food choices, the placement of the messages in an appendix has made them easy to overlook. Stakeholder feedback suggests there is low awareness of their existence.

During scoping work for the revision of the 2013 Guidelines the need to update information on sustainable diets was identified as a high priority. The revision of the Guidelines provides an opportunity to improve integration of messages about food sustainability into the Guidelines.

The Expert Committee is responsible for the provision of advice and expertise to NHMRC during the review of the evidence and update of the Guidelines.

The Sustainability Working Group reports to the Expert Committee. Its role is to provide advice about the strength and quality of evidence about sustainability and diet to the Expert Committee.

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

More information is available at the Review of the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines. 

Terms of reference

The Sustainability Working Group will:

  1. provide expertise on diet and sustainability (defined as accessible, affordable and equitable diets with low environmental impacts) in the Australian setting
  2. provide advice on the scope of sustainability work to ensure useful information is obtained (within budget and time constraints) – including identifying priority research questions
  3. select relevant existing evidence reviews to address sustainability questions
  4. identify evidence gaps where new evidence reviews may need to be commissioned and review the associated protocols and reports
  5. provide advice to the Expert Committee on the inclusion of sustainability in the Guidelines.

The drafting and development of guideline recommendations is outside the scope of the Sustainability Working Group. This remains the responsibility of the Expert Committee.

The Sustainability Working Group will report to the Expert Committee, through the Dietary Guidelines project team. The Chair of the Expert Committee will also be a member of the Sustainability Working Group.

The Sustainability Working Committee term of office commenced on 29 August 2024 and will conclude on 1 January 2027.

Appointment process

In February 2024, individuals who met the selection criteria were invited to express their interest in a position on the Working Group.

Applications were considered via the following process:

  1. Applications were assessed against the Sustainability Working Group selection criteria.
  2. Applicants who addressed the selection criteria completed a Disclosure of Interest form.
  3. Disclosed interests were assessed by the Dietary Guidelines Governance Committee for actual or perceived conflicts of interest in accordance with the NHMRC Policy on the Disclosure of Interests Requirements for Prospective and Appointed NHMRC Committee Members (2019).
  4. Applicants were shortlisted based on expertise and disclosed interests also balancing geographic location, career stage and gender.
  5. A shortlist of applicants was presented to the NHMRC CEO’s delegate for consideration and appointment.

All Working Group members were appointed as independent experts, not as representatives of an organisation or jurisdiction.

More information about the Working Group and approach to consider sustainability in the revision is available in the FAQs.

Members

Member information and disclosure of interests

The members of the Working Group were appointed based on their expertise in areas such as evidence translation, research methodology, environmental science, agriculture/aquaculture, public policy, economics, regional and remote areas, and social equity.

Prior to appointment to the Working Group, applicants were required to provide information on their interests and complete a Disclosure of Interest form.

A different threshold was used for Working Group members in relation to declared interests, including links with industry where the member had required expertise. This also recognises that the Working Group’s role is to provide advice to the Expert Committee on the strength and quality of evidence about sustainability and diet. The drafting and development of guideline recommendations is outside the scope of the Sustainability Working Group. The Expert Committee remains responsible for advising on recommendations. Expert Committee members do not have links with industry.

Working Group members are required to disclose their interests on an ongoing basis and consider both perceived and actual interests.

See our NHMRC statement on Sustainability Working Group membership about member changes.

A summary of the interests disclosed by each member is available below.

Chair,
Adjunct Professor
Sophie
Dwyer
PSM

Professor Dwyer has experience in public health, environmental health, and food production systems. She has a background in evaluating and applying evidence, alongside skills in developing policy responses and understanding their implications. Professor Dwyer is active in several committees and working groups, and was previously a Chair of Enhealth. She has received the Public Service Medal for her contributions to public and environmental health.

Declaration

Employment

  • Executive Director, Health Protection Branch, Queensland Health (1999-2020)
  • Member Food Regulation Standing Committee
  • Chair, Enhealth, (sub committee AHPPC)
  • Chair, Radiation Health Expert Advisory Panel (to Enhealth)

Contract and Consulting Work

  • Advisor, NSW Health
  • Consultant, Commonwealth Department of Health (2021-2023)
  • Consultant, NSW Health (2022)

Advice and Voluntary Work

  • Adjunct Professor, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, University of Queensland

Advocacy 

  • Co-convenor, Ecology and Environment Special Interest Group, Public Health Association of Australia
  • Board Member and Vice President, Climate and Health Alliance Board (2022-2024)

Publications

  • Zosky, G.R. et al. (2021) ‘Principles for setting air quality guidelines to protect human health in Australia’, Medical Journal of Australia, 214(6), p. 254. doi:10.5694/mja2.50964.

Emeritus Professor
Wayne
Bryden

Professor Bryden specialises in agriculture and food quality especially for monogastric nutrition, focusing on nutrient availability, the relationship between microbiota, immunity and gut health, probiotic development, and the impact of food toxins, especially mycotoxins, on animal and human health. He has served on multiple expert panels, including a 17-year tenure with the WHO Expert Panel on Food Safety and the European Commission Expert Panel on Food Safety and Security.

Declaration

Employment

  • Emeritus Professor, University of Queensland
  • Honorary Professor, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland (2020–24)
  • Affiliate Professor, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (2010–20)
  • Professor of Animal Science, University of Queensland (2002–20)

Research Grants

  • Poultry Hub Australia through funding from the AgriFutures Chicken Meat Program; 2019–22; $65,000
  • Queensland Government- Advance Queensland Innovation Partnership Grant; 2017–21; $2,521,763
  • Meat and Livestock Australia grant through funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program; 2018–21; $844,862

Contract and Consulting Work

  • Expert witness, Clayton Utz for Innovation and Science Australia (2019–20)
  • Expert to Working Group on Feed Detoxification, European Food Safety Authority (2021)

Boards (Advisory and Governance)

  • CSIRO Publishing, Editor-in-Chief, Animal Production Science

Advice and Voluntary Work

  • Honorary Governor- Advice on conduct of annual scientific meeting- Australian Poultry Science Symposium, Poultry Research Foundation, University of Sydney
  • Fellow, Nutrition Society of Australia
  • Fellow, Australian Association of Animal Sciences
  • Fellow, Agriculture Institute Australia

Publications

  • Pethick DW, Bryden WL, Mann NJ, Masters DG, Lean IJ (2023) The societal role of meat: the Dublin declaration with an Australian perspective. Animal Production Science 63 (18): 1805-1826.

Dr
Anna
Farmery

Dr Farmery has experience in gathering and integrating data for both aquatic and terrestrial food systems, focusing on the trade-offs and synergies involved in balancing various management goals across economic, social, and environmental outcomes. She has experience in multiple Australian and international research settings, including rural and remote areas. Dr Farmery received an ARC Early Career Research Award in 2023.

Declaration

Employment

  • Senior Research Fellow, University of Wollongong

Research Grants

  • Australian Research Council; ARC DECRA DE230100069; Integrating food and nutrition into fisheries and aquaculture management; 2024–27; $425,303
  • Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research; ACIAR FIS/2022/121; Extending integrated analysis for improved food system outcomes in Timor-Leste and the Pacific region; 2024–26; $2,500,000
  • Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research; ACIAR FIS/2019/124; Innovating fish-based livelihoods in the community economies of Timor-Leste and Solomon; 2022–25; $2,440,000
  • Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research; ACIAR FIS/2018/155; Agriculture and fisheries for improved nutrition: integrated agri-food system analyses for the Pacific region; 2019–22; $2,359,999

Contract and Consulting Work

  • Consultant for FAO to work on National Assessment of Solomon Islands Food System report, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2022)
  • Consultant to assist with Life Cycle Assessment of New Zealand shellfish, Life Cycle Assessment of New Zealand Mussels and Oysters (2022)

Publications

  • Troell, M., Costa-Pierce, B.A. et al., 2023. Perspectives on aquaculture's contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals for improved human and planetary health. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society. 54. 251-342.
  • Farmery, A.K. and Bogard, J.R., 2022. Realising the potential for aquatic foods to contribute to environmentally sustainable and healthy diets. In Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Diets (pp. 106-118). Routledge.
  • Farmery, A.K., Alexander, K., Anderson, K., Blanchard, J.L., Carter, C.G., Evans, K., Fischer, M., Fleming, A., Frusher, S., Fulton, E.A. and Haas, B., 2022. Food for all: designing sustainable and secure future seafood systems. Reviews in fish biology and fisheries, 32(1), pp.101-121.
  • Farmery, A.K., O’Kane, G., McManus, A. and Green, B.S., 2018. Consuming sustainable seafood: Guidelines, recommendations and realities. Public Health Nutrition, 21(8), pp.1503-1514.

Dr
Stephanie
Godrich

Dr Godrich has expertise in nutrition, food systems, and food security across regional, state, national, and international levels. She has worked with almost 50 regional and remote communities as a Public Health Nutritionist, provided evaluation consultancy to government and non-government organisations, and participated in expert working groups. Dr Godrich has received awards including a Research Excellence Award from the Department of Health WA and translates her research into practical tools such as websites, presentations, infographics, and case studies.

Declaration

Employment

  • Teaching and Research Scholar, Edith Cowan University

Research Grants

  • Healthway; Health Promotion Project Grant; 2022-current; $541,709
  • Department of Health WA; Future Health Research and Innovation Fund (FHRIF) Research Excellence Awards; 2022-current; $110,000
  • Healthway; Pathway to healthy food environments: a guide for local governments in Western Australia; 2018–23; $469,078.
  • Healthway; BothWay Learning: Aboriginal community-led health promotion action research; 2022; $75,000
  • Edith Cowan University; A social, economic and environmental sustainability analysis of regionally grown fresh fruit and vegetables in South West Western Australia; 2020; $30,000
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research; Weathering adversity: toward mitigating the impact of prolonged school closure and social isolation on mental health and lifestyle behaviours of elementary school children; 2020; $241,000
  • Healthway; Food Community: A website to support healthy food availability, access and use in rural and remote Western Australia, 2019–21, $30,954

Contract and Consulting Work

  • Research and Evaluation Consultant, Foodbank WA (2015–21)
  • HDR thesis examiner, Deakin University (2023)
  • HDR thesis examiner, Notre Dame University (2020)
  • HDR thesis examiner, Macquarie University (2019)

Other payments

  • Nutrition Society of Australia keynote speaker (2022)

Advocacy 

  • Member, Public Health Association of Australia
  • Member and Registered Public Health Nutritionist, Nutrition Society of Australia

Public position

  • Submission to WA Inquiry into food insecurity

Publications

  • Livingstone, K., Rawstorn, J., Alston, L., Partridge, S., Bastian, A., Dullaghan, K., McNaughton, S., Hendrie, G., Blekkenhorst, L., Maddison, R., Zhang, Y., Barnett, S., Mathers, J., Godrich, S. (2024). Co-design of a personalised digital intervention to improve vegetable intake in adults living in Australian rural communities. BMC Public Health, 24(1), Article number 146. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-17641-8.
  • Blekkenhorst, L., Ride, K., Wallace, R., Eades, S., McAullay, D., Godrich, S. (2022). Healthy lifestyle initiatives for increasing fruit and vegetable intake among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: a rapid review. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, 47(2), 115-123. doi:10.1139/apnm-2021-0076.
  • Ronto, R., Saberi, G., Robbers, GM., Godrich, S., Lawrence, M., Somerset, S., Fanzo, J., Chau, J. (2022). Identifying effective interventions to promote consumption of protein-rich foods from lower ecological footprint sources: A systematic literature review. PLOS global public health, 2(3). doi:10.1371/journal.pgph.0000209.
  • Aberle, L., Platts, J., Kioutis, M., Houstead, L., Godrich, S. (2022). Application of a sustainability framework to enhance Australian food literacy programs in remote Western Australian communities. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 33(S1), 174-206. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.586.
  • Godrich, S., Barbour, L., Lindberg, R. (2021). Problems, policy and politics – perspectives of public health leaders on food insecurity and human rights in Australia. BMC Public Health. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-11188-8.
  • Godrich, S., Stoneham, M., Edmunds, M., Devine, A. (2020). South West Food Community: how government and community initiatives are supporting systemic change towards enhanced food security. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44(2), 129-136. doi:10.1111/1753-6405.12975.
  • Godrich, S., Davies, C., Darby, J., Devine, A. (2017). What are the determinants of food security among regional and remote Western Australian children?. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 41(2), 172-177. https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12636.
  • Godrich, S., Doe, J., Goodwin, S., Alston, L., Kent, K. (2023). A scoping review of the impact of Food Policy Groups on local food systems in high-income countries. Nutrition Research Reviews, 1-24, https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954422423000173.

Professor
Dora
Marinova

Professor Marinova possesses interdisciplinary expertise spanning economics, mathematics, engineering, and social science, with a focus on the environmental impacts of dietary choices. She has extensive experience evaluating grants that explore the connection between environmental health and human wellbeing. She has secured grants addressing various environmental aspects, including food policy, circular economies, air quality, and regenerative agriculture.

Declaration

Employment

  • Professor, Curtin University

Research Grants

  • Planning and Transport Research Centre (PATREC); for Mapping the circular economy of WA - monitoring the contributions of circularity towards achieving Net Zero: Stage 1; 2023–24; $300,000
  • Australian Research Council; DP230102151; To what extent does Australian food policy consider its health impact; 2023–25; $602,000
  • National Environmental Science Program Round 2 (NESP2) Sustainable Communities and Waste; Air quality research; 2022–23; $45,000

Boards (Advisory and Governing)

  • CRE Panel Member, NHMRC

Public position

  • Author for The Conversation

Publications

  • Kelliher M, Bogueva D, Marinova D. Meta-Analysis and Ranking of the Most Effective Methane Reduction Strategies for Australia’s Beef and Dairy Sector. Climate. 2024; 12(4):50. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli12040050
  • Shahid Ghauri, Elizabeth L. Jackson, Dora Marinova, Hossein Mohammadi, Agricultural co-operatives for managing natural capital to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals 12–15: A conceptual framework, Journal of Co-operative Organization and Management, Volume 10, Issue 2, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcom.2022.100188.
  • Bogueva D, Marinova D. Australian Generation Z and the Nexus between Climate Change and Alternative Proteins. Animals. 2022; 12(19):2512. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12192512
  • Özel M, Bogueva D, Marinova D, Tekiner IH. Climate Change Knowledge and Awareness of Nutrition Professionals: A Case Study from Turkey. Sustainability. 2022; 14(7):3774. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073774
  • Marinova D, Bogueva D. Livestock Production: Climate and Sustainability Impacts. Proceedings. 2021; 73(1):14. https://doi.org/10.3390/IECA2020-07787
  • Sarker AH, Bornman JF, Marinova D. A Framework for Integrating Agriculture in Urban Sustainability in Australia. Urban Science. 2019; 3(2):50. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci3020050

Adjunct Professor
David
Masters

Adjunct Professor Masters specialises in nutritional biochemistry, physiology, and agricultural systems, with experience in both laboratory settings and rural areas. He has knowledge of the environmental impact of various farming systems used for food production, including plant and animal biodiversity, soil health, landscape function, water usage, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.

He was involved in developing the Climate Resilience program with the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration and in reviewing climate and other challenges to mixed farming systems in the low and medium rainfall zones with CSIRO.

Declaration

Contracts and Consulting Work

  • Freelance scientific contracting for the design, evaluation and review of farming systems research and development projects for the Department of Primary Industry (WA), Western Australian Agricultural Research Collaboration, Murdoch University, Western Australian Livestock Research Council, CSIRO and Meat and Livestock Australia (2018–24)
  • Consulting research on climate risk assessment for agriculture for Western Land and Water (2022)
  • Consulting research on nutrient waste from aquaculture activities for MScience Pty Ltd (2020)
  • Guest Editor, University of New England (2022–23)
  • Fellow, Australian Association of Animal Sciences

Boards (Advisory and Governing)

  • Member Independent Expert Panel for Project Assessment, Meat and Livestock Australia (2018–20)

Other

  • Adjunct Professor, University of WA (2011 – current)
  • Honorary Fellow, CSIRO Agriculture and Food (2007–24)

Advocacy

  • Fellow, Australian Association of Animal Sciences

Publications

  • Norman Hayley C., Masters David G. (2023) Livestock preference and feeding value as key determinants for forage improvement – why not ask the consumers?. Animal Production Science 63, 1161-1176, https://doi.org/10.1071/AN23140
  • Masters David G., Blache Dominique, Lockwood Amy L., Maloney Shane K., Norman Hayley C., Refshauge Gordon, Hancock Serina N. (2023) Shelter and shade for grazing sheep: implications for animal welfare and production and for landscape health. Animal Production Science 63, 623-644, https://doi.org/10.1071/AN22225
  • Pethick, DW, Bryden, WL, Mann, NJ, Masters, DG, Lean, IJ (2023) The societal role of meat: the Dublin Declaration with an Australian perspective. Animal Production Science 63, 1805-1826. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN23061
  • Jacobson, C, Bruce, M, Kenyon, PR, Lockwood, A, Miller, D, Refshauge, G, Masters, DG (2020) A review of dystocia in sheep. Small Ruminant Research 192, 106209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2020.106209

Professor
Sarah
McNaughton

Professor McNaughton is the Chair of the Dietary Guidelines Expert Committee. She has expertise in epidemiology, dietary assessment, population dietary patterns and eating patterns and activity/sleep/mood. She has authored many systematic reviews including systematic reviews for the World Health Organization. She is also experienced in translation of evidence, evidence synthesis and translation for food and nutrition policy. Professor McNaughton previously held a NHMRC Fellowship in improving health through diet and an Australian Research Council Fellowship in dietary patterns to prevent chronic disease.

Declaration

Employment

  • Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences; University of Queensland; January 2024
  • Deakin Distinguished Professor, Deakin University, 2022–23
  • Professor of Nutrition, Deakin University; October 2005 to January 2024
  • NHMRC Career Development Fellow; 2016 to 2019

Research Grants

  • Heart Foundation Vanguard Grant; Machado, McNaughton, Russell, Khandpur. A communication framework to increase consumer understanding of ultra-processed foods in Australia; 2024; $72,277 total
  • Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP1095595; Nutrition and physical activity of older adults; $210,000
  • NHMRC Project Grant ID1008879; childhood obesity prevention; 2011–13; $850,666
  • Medical Research Future Fund Preventative and Public Health Research Initiative; Healthy ageing, falls and osteoporosis. 2020–23; $1,393,504
  • World Health Organisation; Dietary patterns and multiple health outcomes; 2016; US$20,000
  • Australian Research Council Discovery Project; DP170100544; Eating patterns, physical activity, sleep and mood; 2017–19; $486,000
  • World Health Organisation; Dietary patterns and multiple health outcomes; 2018–21; $252,751
  • Australian Research Council Linkage Grant; LP0990129; Fruits and vegetables; 2009–12; $70,000
  • World Health Organisation; Dietary patterns and multiple health outcomes; 2018–19; $33,700
  • Australian Research Council Discovery Project; DP190101323; Nutrition evidence; 2019–21; $342,899
  • Oz Harvest; Food security and food literacy; 2019; $9,838
  • Eisele Family Foundation (US); Food security; 2020–2021; US$85,000 ~ AUD$123,000
  • Victorian Health Promotion Foundation; Sugar sweetened beverages; 2016; $34,952
  • Medibank Better and Health Foundation; Diet and cognitive foundation; 2014
  • Nutricia Research Foundation; Dietary assessment, 2013–2014

This disclosure has been rated as low risk of bias by the Dietary Guidelines Governance Committee for the following reasons: the individual and their employing institution did not receive any Nutricia Research Foundation funds; the grant was awarded to the investigators more than 5 years ago; and the individual was not a named investigator on the grant.

  • Australian Research Council; FT100100581; Dietary patterns; 2011–15
  • Lotteries Health Research; Dietary patterns and metabolic health; 2013–14
  • NHMRC Project Grant ID1144331; 2018–20; $858,549
  • NHMRC Tender; Evidence evaluation for iodine; 2021–2023; $124,805
  • NHMRC Tender; Evidence evaluation for sodium; 2021–2023; $148,806

Advisory or governing boards

  • Nutrition Australia Victoria Board; Board Member; May 2017-Nov 2021 (declined remuneration)
  • NHMRC Discretionary Foods and Drinks Expert Working Group; 2018–20 (sitting fees)

Meeting attendance/ paid travel/ receipt of meals

  • Working Group: International Agency on Cancer (IARC) Monographs Vol. 134 – Aspartame, Methyleugenol, and Isoeugenol (2022-2023). Airfares and per diem to cover accommodation, food and local travel by IARC. No other payments
  • Public Health Association of Australia: Food Futures Conference Speaker 2022 (registration costs)
  • Nutrition Society of Australia: Annual Scientific Meeting Plenary Speaker 2019 (attendance costs)
  • Nutrition Society of Australia: Science Meets Parliament; Nutrition Society of Australia Representative; 2017 (attendance costs)

Relationship with organisations which advocate known industry or policy positions

  • Australian Academy of Science National Nutrition Committee; 2022–25
  • Dietitians Australia
    • Corporate Sponsorship Reference Group; Consultation group; 2017–18
    • Awards and Recognition Advisory Committee; 2014–20
    • Conference Committee; 2015–16
    • Fellow
  • Heart Foundation
    • Heart Foundation Expert Reference Group; Position statement on meat, eggs and dairy products; 2018-2019
    • Provided feedback on alcohol position: named contributor; 2020
    • Contributed to Healthy Heart Healthy Eating patterns, Dietary Position Statement; named contributor; Published in 2019
  • External Resource Expert, World Health Organisation, WHO Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group (NUGAG) Subcommittee on Diet and Health; 2018–21
  • National Osteoarthritis Strategy Working Group; Contributed to National Strategy; 2018
  • Public Health Association of Australia
    • Member; November 2021–22
    • Contributed to position statement on dietary patterns, food-based guidelines and nutrition; 2019
  • Nutrition Society of Australia
    • Member; 1997-2003 and 2007 – Current
    • Recipient of award; 2016; $2000
    • Recipient of award; 2020; No financial component
    • Chair; Melbourne Group; 2011–12
    • Member; National Council; 2011–12
    • Member; Professional Registration Committee; 2009–11
    • Mentor, NSA Mentoring Program; 2021 – present
  • National Network of Dietetic and Nutrition Research Leaders; Member; 2017-Current
  • American Society for Nutrition; Member; 2007-Present
  • Australasian Epidemiological Association; Member; 2006–20
  • Nutrition Society UK; 2003–18

Unpaid consultancies and/or in-kind support 

  • Coles; 2009–12 – connected with ARC Linkage LP0990129
  • National Heart Foundation; 2009–12 – connected with ARC Linkage LP0990129

Related peer-reviewed publication from LP0990129: Opie, McNaughton, Crawford, Abbott, Ball. How and why does discretionary food consumption change when we promote fruit and vegetables? Results from the ShopSmart randomised controlled trial Public Health Nutrition; 23(1): 124-133. Doi: 10.1017/S1368980019002830

Any relationship with NHMRC 

  • Previously funded by NHMRC. Career Development Fellowship; 2016–19
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship 2005–09
  • NHMRC Public Health Postgraduate Research Scholarship; 1999–2002
  • Chief Investigator on multiple grants in the last 15 years
  • Served on NHMRC Discretionary Foods and Drinks Expert Working Group; 2018–20
  • Served on Early Career Fellowship Panel; 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
  • Investigator Grant Panel – Emerging Leadership Level; 2019, 2023, Leadership Level - 2024

Any formal advice or opinion provided to industry, a government organisation or a non-government organisation on a matter of relevance to the committee

  • 2017 Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank – Rethinking Food and Nutrition Science, Australian Academy of Science, 26-28 July, Perth
    • Rapporteur/Leader of Working Group, and co-led writing of Discussion Paper 'The Australian Food and Nutrition Knowledge Hub: A critical piece of national infrastructure for nutrition science'.
  • Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance; Management of CVD Risk - Update on the Absolute Cardiovascular Disease Risk Guidelines; Expert Subgroup; July 2021 – July 2022
  • Current Developments in Nutrition; Academic Editor; 2020–23
  • International Conference on Diet and Activity Methods; International Advisory Committee; 2018–21
  • Scientific Program Committee, 2017 Annual Meeting of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity; 2016–17
  • Oceanic Nutrition Leadership Program – Member of Management Committee and Chair of selection working group; 2015–17
  • Science Meets Parliament; Nutrition Society of Australia Representative; 2017
  • International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity; Editorial Board Member; 2007–21
  • Member, Council of Deans of Nutrition & Dietetics (CDND) (Australia and New Zealand); March 2017-June 2020

Publicly expressed a position related to the guidelines

  • See list of published papers and media on Deakin University Staff Profile.

Publications

  • Riboli E, McNaughton SA, et al., Carcinogenicity of aspartame, methyleugenol, and isoeugenol. The Lancet Oncol. 2023 Aug;24(8):848-850. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(23)00341-8. Epub 2023 Jul 13. PMID: 37454664.
  • Kumanyika S, Afshin A, Arimond M, Lawrence M, McNaughton S, Nishida C. Approaches to Defining Healthy Diets: A Background Paper for the International Expert Consultation on Sustainable Healthy Diets. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. 2020; 41(2S):S7-S30. Doi: 10.1177/0379572120973111
  • Wingrove K, Lawrence M, McNaughton SA. (2020). Dietary patterns, foods, and nutrients: a descriptive analysis of the systematic reviews conducted to inform the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Nutrition Research Reviews. doi.org/10.1017/S0954422420000190
  • McNaughton SA. (2020). Dietary Patterns. (Volume 2B Chapter 13). In Marriott BP, Birt DF, Stallings VA, Yates AA. (Eds). 11th Edition, Present Knowledge in Nutrition. Elsevier: Amsterdam, Netherlands. 2020; pp 235-248
  • Lawrence MA, McNaughton SA. (2019). Vegetarian diets and health. BMJ; 366:l5272. doi: 10.1136/bmj.l5272.

Media

  • The risks and benefits of artificial sweeteners. ABC Radio National, November 2017
  • Health Check: Should I replace sugar with artificial sweeteners?. The Conversation, September 2017
  • The benefits of plant-based eating. The Saturday Paper, 19 May 2018
  • Five 'healthy eating' myths dispelled. “this”, February 2017

Other

  • Institute of Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN); Member, Deputy Director (2020–21); Head of EMCR Development (2021–22); Provided feedback on IPAN submissions to government; not named as an individual
  • Webinar speaker for the Heart Foundation: From evidence to eating – A health professional webinar on how dietary patterns are leading the way forward in nutrition. No payment. No event sponsors. October 2021
  • AIA | Baker Heart & Diabetes Institute Roundtable "5590 Virtual Roundtable – Navigating the path to healthier, longer better lives". No payment. No sponsors involved. July 2021

Dr
Brad
Ridoutt
(August 2024–April 2025)

Dr Ridoutt specialises in life cycle sustainability assessment within the agriculture and food sectors, focusing on addressing strategic issues such as climate change, water scarcity, land use, sustainable food systems, and diets. He participates in various international efforts related to the standardisation of sustainability assessments and environmental labelling. Additionally, he serves as an Australian delegate on several International Organization for Standardization (ISO) committees concerning sustainable development and life cycle assessment (LCA). 

Declaration

Employment

  • Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO

Research Grants

  • Meat & Livestock Australia; Pathways to climate-neutrality for the Australian red meat industry; 2022; $141,442
  • Meat & Livestock Australia; Assessment of climate accounting metrics for the Australian red meat industry; 2021; $59,680
  • Meat & Livestock Australia; Dietary Pesticide Footprint; 2020; $101,967
  • Meat & Livestock Australia; Protein Foods for Sustainable Diets; 2020; $136,902

Contract and Consulting Work

  • Research proposal assessor, NZ Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment
  • Consultant, Australian Meat Processors Corporation (2022)
  • Consultant, MatPrat (Norway) (2022)
  • Consultant, Dairy Australia (2021)
  • Consultant, Nestle (2020)
  • Lecturer, The University of Melbourne (2020)

Other payments

  • Speaker, Zanda McDonald Award (2024)
  • Speaker, Cattle Australia (2023)
  • Speaker, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2023)
  • Speaker, Red Meat Advisory Council (2023)
  • Speaker, V2 Foods (2022)
  • Speaker, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (WA) (2022)
  • Speaker, University of Hong Kong (2019)
  • Speaker, Dairy Australia (2019)

Advice and Voluntary Work

  • Podcast speaker, Dietitian Connection (2024)
  • Food sustainability advisory panel, International Network for Food and Obesity / Non-communicable Diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support (2022–23)
  • Steering Committee - Future Food Hallmark Initiative, The University of Melbourne
  • Scientific Committee, LCA Food conference
  • Australian delegate to ISO Technical Committee TC207 - Environmental management, Standards Australia
  • Technical Advisory Group, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
  • Consultative Forum Member, Dairy Australia

Public position

  • Author for The Conversation

Publications

  • A conceptual framework for modelling the role of livestock systems in sustainable diets and a sustainable planet, Animal Production Science 2023, 63(18) 1866-1886 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN23300
  • Climate and biodiversity credentials for Australian grass-fed beef: a review of standards, certification and assurance schemes, Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 13935; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813935
  • Toward healthy and sustainable diets for the 21st century: Importance of sociocultural and economic considerations, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2023, 120 (26), e2219272120
  • Bridging organisational discourse and practice change: exploring sustainable procurement portfolios for Australian beef, Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal 2023, 14 (2), 265-288
  • New plant‐based and alternative protein foods—Realising the benefits and avoiding the risks, Nutrition & Dietetics 2023, 80 (2), 223-224
  • Animal board invited review: Opportunities and challenges in using GWP* to report the impact of ruminant livestock on global temperature change, Animal, Volume 17, Issue 5, May 2023, 100790
  • The importance of protein variety in a higher quality and lower environmental impact dietary pattern, Public Health Nutrition 2022, 25 (12), 3583-3588
  • Towards healthier and more sustainable diets in the Australian context: Comparison of current diets with the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet, BMC Public Health 2022, 22 (1), 1939
  • Diets with higher vegetable intake and lower environmental impact: evidence from a large Australian population health survey, Nutrients 2022, 14 (7), 1517
  • Climate impact of Australian livestock production assessed using the GWP* climate metric, Livestock Science 2021, 246, 104459
  • Climate neutral livestock production–A radiative forcing-based climate footprint approach, Journal of Cleaner Production 2021, 291, 125260
  • Diets within environmental limits: The climate impact of current and recommended Australian diets, Nutrients 2021, 13 (4), 1122
  • The role of dairy foods in lower greenhouse gas emission and higher diet quality dietary patterns, European Journal of Nutrition 2021, 60, 275-285
  • Food Security and Climate Stabilization: Can Cereal Production Systems Address Both?, Sustainability 2021 13 (3), 1223
  • Pathways toward Climate-Neutral Red Meat Production, 2024 https://www.mdpi.com/2674-0389/3/3/22