The Steering Group Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee) has been established to guide the review of the Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand including Recommended Dietary Intakes.

Established by a CEO delegate under section 39 of the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992, the Advisory Committee provides advice to a Steering Group which is comprised of representatives from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Aged Care and New Zealand Ministry of Health.

The Advisory Committee also guides the work of the nutrient-specific expert working groups:

Members were selected to ensure appropriate expertise in nutrition, micronutrients, end user needs, toxicology, public health, research, chronic disease and macronutrients/ total diet.

Terms of reference

NHMRC has established the Steering Group Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee) to guide the review of the Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand (NRVs).

The Steering Group Advisory Committee will:

  1. Provide advice to a Steering Group comprised representatives from NHMRC, the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Aged Care, and the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
  2. Provide expert advice to the Steering Group on priority nutrients for review.
  3. Advise on additional required expertise for the nutrient Expert Working Groups.
  4. Provide periodic advice and guidance to the Steering Group on review processes and NRV development as required, including advising on methodology for the review of Nutrient Reference Values.
  5. Review outcomes from the nutrient reviews.
  6. Provide advice on any risks associated with draft NRV recommendations.
  7. Provide advice on the outcomes of public consultation on any of the NRVs reviewed.

Appointments to the Steering Group Advisory Committee will conclude 31 December 2026.

Membership

Member information and disclosure of interests (declarations)

NHMRC asks all committee members to document their interests for consideration by a CEO delegate prior to being appointed to the committee. Members are asked to update their interests during the term of their appointment or as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the interest or that there has been a change in the nature or extent of the interest. Members are asked to consider perceived interests as well as actual interests. A summary of the interests declared by each member is provided within the declarations (below).

Chair,
Ms
Janine
Lewis

(Commenced February 2021 to present)

Relevant experience

  • Nutrition
  • Fortification of micronutrients
  • Public health
  • Nutritional risk analysis.
Declaration
  • Principal Nutritionist at Food Standards Australia New Zealand (now retired)
  • Contractor to author WHO/FAO booklet Codex Nutrient Reference Values, especially for Protein, Vitamins and Minerals, 2019
  • Contractor to author Review of the derivation of dietary intake reference values for infants and young children. Report to the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Dietary Uses, 2021
  • Leader of the Australian delegation to the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU), 1998–2016
  • Author of various publications and books relating to nutrient reference values
  • Referee for various scientific journals.

Dr
Barbara
Rita Cardoso

(Commenced June 2024 to present)

 Senior Lecturer with the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food at Monash University.  

 Relevant experience:

  • Nutrition
  • Micronutrients
  • Nutrient deficiency/ toxicity
  • Research
  • Chronic conditions.
Declaration
  • Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Fellow at Monash University, 2017–2019
  • Recipient of research grants for: Australian Synchrotron Infrared Beamline 2022–2023; NHMRC Boosting Dementia 2019–2024; International Fruit and Dried Fruit Council, 2019–2020
  • Member of the Nutrition Society Australia, present
  • Council member for International Society of Trace Element Research in Humans, 2019–present
  • Media about health and nutrition topics – mostly related to selenium, nuts and ultra-processed foods
  • Specialty Chief Editor in Frontiers in Nutrition – Nutrition and Metabolism
  • Author on various publications relating to the health benefits of nuts and nutrient reference values for selenium
  • Referee for various scientific journals.

Professor
Lisa
Houghton

(Commenced June 2024 to present)

Emeritus Professor with the Department of Human Nutrition at University of Otago

Relevant experience:

  • Nutrition and food systems
  • International nutrition research
  • Maternal, infant and child health  
  • Food security
  • Micronutrient deficiencies.
Declaration
  • Professor of Human Nutrition at University of Otago, 2008–2023
  • Food and Nutrition Consultant, Future-Proofing the New Zealand Food Composition Database, New Zealand Ministry of Health, 2022
  • Food and Nutrition Consultant, ChildFund New Zealand, 2023–present
  • Co-founder of fni.health, Knowledge hub and educational platform designed to empower health professionals and organisations to learn and apply the latest scientific nutrition evidence
  • Recipient of research grant: SUNDIAL: Survey of Nutrition, Dietary Assessment and Lifestyles (Lottery Health), 2019
  • Steering Group Member, Vitamin D and Sun Exposure in Pregnancy and Infancy for Allen + Clarke, 2022–present
  • Published peer-reviewed papers in micronutrient health

Professor
Sarah
McNaughton 

(Commenced December 2022 to present)

Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at University of Queensland

Relevant experience:

  • Nutrition
  • Public Health
  • Research
  • Chronic diseases.
Declaration
  • NHMRC Career Development Fellow at Deakin University, 2016–2019
  • Held various positions with the Institute of Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University
    • Deputy Director, 2020–2021
    • Head of EMCR Development, 2021–present
    • Provides feedback on IPAN submissions to government
  • Employed by Deakin University, January 2016–2024
  • Recipient of research grants for: Nutricia Research Foundation, 2013–2014; Various NHMRC grants, 2009–2020; Various National Heart Foundation grants, 2009–2024; Lottery Health Research Translational Research project grant, 2014–2015, Various ARC grants 2009–2021, Various WHO grants 2016–2021, OzHarvest, 2019; VicHealth, 2016; Medibank Better Health Foundation, Australian Orthopaedic Association, 2018–2020; MRFF, 2020–2024, FSANZ, 2015; Eisele Family Foundation, 2020–2021, World Cancer Research Fund, 2011–2014
  • Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance
  • Served on various nutrition related working groups, boards, advisory groups and committees for government and non-government organisations, including:
    • Expert in subgroup on Updating the Absolute CVD Risk Guidelines, 2021–2022
    • Member of Management Committee and Chair of selection working group for Oceanic Nutrition Leadership Program, 2015–2017
    • Chair of the NHMRC Dietary Guidelines Expert Committee, 2021–present
    • Nutrition Australia Victoria Board; Board Member, 2017–2021
    • NHMRC Discretionary Foods and Drinks Expert Working Group, 2018–2020
  • Membership with various national and international nutrition and public health related associations and societies
  • Editor and associate editor for various scientific journals
  • Various publications, conference presentations and media articles about nutrition topics.

Professor McNaughton was employed by Deakin University. Deakin University was procured by NHMRC to complete the evidence reviews for the update to the sodium and iodine NRVs. A management strategy was put in place so that Professor McNaughton could continue her role in the evidence evaluation of sodium and iodine NRVs whilst being appointed to the Committee. Specifically, Professor McNaughton will be excluded from participating in the Steering Group Advisory Committee’s discussions and decisions relating to the work contracted to Deakin University. 

Dr
Jody
Miller

(Commenced June 2024 to present)

Senior Research Fellow with the Department of Human Nutrition at University of Otago 

Relevant experience:

  • Nutritional epidemiology
  • Clinical trials
  • Systematic reviews
  • National nutrition surveys
  • Micronutrient status in infants and older adults
  • Food fortification and supplementation.
Declaration
  • Recipient of research grants: University of Auckland and Comvita New Zealand Ltd, 2021–present; Massey University, 2021–present; Asahi Quality and Innovations, 2023–present
  • Published several peer-reviewed articles regarding selenium 

Dr
Alice
Owen

(Commenced December 2022 to present)

Adjunct Senior Research Fellow with the School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University

Relevant experience:

  • Nutrition
  • Public health
  • Research
  • End user needs.
Declaration
  • Project Manager, The ASPREE Microbiome Study, Alfred Health
  • Former Chair of the Cancer Council of Victoria Human Research Ethics Committee
  • Recipient of grant: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation
  • Externally managed Superannuation (UniSuper) in a fund whose holdings include major grocery retailers.

Associate Professor
Andrew
Reynolds

(Commenced December 2022 to present)

Senior Research Fellow with the Department of Medicine at University of Otago

Relevant experience:

  • Public health
  • Nutrition
  • Research
  • Chronic disease.
Declaration
  • Heart Foundation (New Zealand) Fellowship
  • Consultant with World Health Organization Consultancy, 2016–present
  • Board member:
    • Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of European Association for the Study of Diabetes
    • Otago Southland Diabetes Research Trust
    • Expert Nutrition Policy Advisory Group of the Heart Foundation
  • Executive member – Edgar Diabetes Obesity Research Centre
  • Management committee member – Oceanic Nutrition Leadership Platform (ceased January 2023)
  • Recipient of grants: World Health Organization, 2017–2020; Various Healthier Lives NSC grants, 2020–2024; Laurenson Award, 2019–2021; Lottery Health Research grant, 2019–2022; Various HRC grants, 2020–2024; University of Otago, 2020–2022, Riddet CoRE, 2020–present; Baking Industry Research Trust, 2022–2023, Pūtahi Manawa CoRE, 2022–2023
  • Health Research Council of New Zealand reviewer, 2018.

Dr
Anne
Williams

(Commenced December 2022 to present)

Nutritional Epidemiologist with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Relevant experience:

  • Nutrition
  • Public health
  • Research.
Declaration
  • Employed as Adjunct Assistant Professor with the Department of Global Health at Emory University, 2023–present
  • Lecturer with the Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Otago, 2022
  • Nutrition Consultant for the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) 2022–2023
  • Nutrition Consultant for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012–2014
  • Recipient of various research grants from The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, 2012–2021
  • Referee for various scientific journals.

Professor
Amanda
Lee

(2018 to 2021)

The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, The Sax Institute and University of Queensland

Relevant experience:

  • Nutrition
  • End user needs
  • Public health
  • Research
  • Chronic disease and macronutrients/ total diet.
Declaration
  • Invited to provide peer review of draft evaluation report on fortification of food supply with folic acid and iodine for the Commonwealth Department of Health (July 2016)
  • Invited to provide independent advice on strategies to improve the nutritional health of the Australian population in a brief report to the Woolworths Board (March 2013)
  • Consultant to NHMRC on Discretionary Foods Project (July to November 2018)
  • Chair of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Consumer and Public Health Dialogue (2013 to current)
  • Referee for various scientific journals
  • Media about health and nutrition topics.

Honorary Professor
Samir
Samman

(2018 to 2020)

School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney

Relevant experience:

  • Nutrition
  • Micronutrients
  • Nutrient deficiency/ toxicity
  • Public health and research.
Declaration
  • Associate Editor Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition; Editorial Advisory Board Member British Nutrition Foundation Nutrition Bulletin
  • Associate investigator on a research grant from Meat & Livestock Australia (April 2014–May 2015)
  • Immediate Past President, Nutrition Society of Australia (2018–2019)
  • Referee for various scientific journals.

Emeritus Professor
Murray
Skeaff

(2018 to 2021)

University of Otago

Relevant experience:

  • Nutrition
  • Public health and research.
Declaration
  • Member of Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory (NUGAG) Subgroup on Diet and Health, since 2010. The World Health Organization published in 2012 guidelines for 'Sodium intake for adults and children'. NUGAG advised WHO in the development of these guidelines
  • Member of Technical Advisory Group for the Eating and Activity Guidelines, New Zealand Ministry of Health (2013 to 2016)
  • Referee for various scientific journals
  • Media about health and nutrition topics
  • Married to member of the Iodine Expert Working Group.