In the Tension Field of Salutogenesis, Nutrition, and Food Production: Pathways to a Healthier Future
The modern world is at a critical crossroads regarding health, nutrition, and the environment. Global dietary patterns — including in Austria — are increasingly problematic. High consumption of meat and highly to ultra-processed foods (UPFs), coupled with low intake of fruits and vegetables, dominates our plates. The consequences are severe: a sharp rise in diet-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and certain types of cancer. Healthcare costs are rising, and individual suffering is increasing. At the heart of this issue lies an interplay that calls for new perspectives — especially from a salutogenic standpoint.
Salutogenesis: Focusing on Health
Salutogenesis — a concept developed by medical sociologist Aaron Antonovsky — does not focus on the origins of disease (pathogenesis) but rather on the creation and maintenance of health. In the context of nutrition, this means moving beyond reactive approaches to risk factors and instead actively shaping environments that support well-being. Nutrition becomes a key lever to strengthen individual and societal resilience.
A salutogenic perspective therefore asks: How can food systems be designed to enhance people’s ability to maintain and promote health, even under challenging conditions?
Unhealthy Eating Patterns and Their Consequences
Current dietary trends reveal an urgent need for action. In Austria — as in many industrialized countries — consumption of animal products remains high, while fruit and vegetable intake is inadequate. Particularly concerning is the excessive intake of ultra-processed foods, which are often rich in sugar, salt, and saturated fats, but low in fiber and essential nutrients. This kind of diet not only contributes to chronic diseases but also creates an obesogenic environment — especially in urban areas, where unhealthy options are more accessible, affordable, and heavily marketed than healthier choices.
The Environmental Dimension: Food as an Ecological Factor
Beyond health challenges, our current food system also has severe ecological consequences. Around 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, 70% of biodiversity loss, and 80% of deforestation are linked to conventional food production. Industrial livestock farming and feed crop cultivation in particular consume vast resources. This clearly demonstrates how closely our eating habits are tied to environmental degradation — a stark contradiction to the principles of sustainable health promotion.
New Pathways in Food Production:
In light of these issues, alternative forms of food production are gaining importance — both from a health and environmental perspective. Promising innovations include:
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Vertical farming and urban agriculture: These technologies allow the resource-efficient, pesticide-free cultivation of fruits and vegetables in urban settings, improving access to fresh produce where it’s most needed.
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Fermentation and biotech innovation: Fermented foods support gut health and, through modern technologies like precision fermentation, could one day replace animal proteins with healthier, more sustainable alternatives.
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Plant-based diets and cultured meat: These alternatives to conventional meat offer the potential to reduce environmental impact while also lowering the risk of diet-related diseases.
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Regional and seasonal food systems: Shorter supply chains, less packaging, and support for local agriculture can reduce environmental harm and strengthen trust in food quality.
Outlook: Salutogenic Food Systems as a Guiding Principle
The interaction of salutogenesis, nutrition, and food production shows that health can only be approached holistically when environmental and social conditions are also considered. A salutogenic nutrition policy should go beyond individual education and aim for structural change:
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Incentivizing plant-forward diets through taxation and subsidies
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Transforming obesogenic environments through improved urban infrastructure
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Supporting sustainable production and regional circular economies
Such measures could mark the beginning of a paradigm shift — toward a food system that not only permits health, but actively promotes it.
Conclusion
Health, nutrition, and the environment are tightly interconnected in a tension field that demands new thinking. The salutogenic perspective offers a valuable compass for shifting the focus from treating disease to promoting health. Combined with innovative approaches to food production, we are presented with powerful opportunities to build a more sustainable, equitable, and healthy future. But this will require political will, economic incentives — and a fundamental societal rethink.
