Water shortages are a worldwide problem. Virtual water and the water footprint link water resources, human beings and agricultural products, and are effective tools to alleviate water-resources stress. The production of agricultural products consumes a large amount of water, and food is the most basic consumer good for human survival, so it is very necessary to study the water footprint of residents’ food consumption, which is also the weak point of current research on virtual water and the water footprint. This paper aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis on the water footprint of food consumption in China from the perspectives of urban and rural residents, per capita water footprint, water footprint structure and food consumption structure. The results revealed that the average water footprint of residents’ food consumption was 605.12 billion m3/year, basically showing an upward trend. Guangdong residents had the highest water footprint for food consumption due to the highest population and higher consumption of water-intensive foodstuffs such as grain and meat in their diet. The water footprint of Xizang residents’ food consumption was the lowest followed by Ningxia and Qinghai due to having the least population. The water footprint of food consumption consumed by urban residents was on the rise while that consumed by rural residents was on the decline in China, which was consistent with the changing trend of population. On the whole, the rural population consumed more virtual water embedded in food than the urban population. From the water footprint structure point, the contribution rate of the green water footprint is the largest, reaching 69.36%. The second is the gray water footprint and then the blue water footprint, accounting for 18.71% and 11.93%, respectively. From the perspective of the food consumption structure, grain and pig, beef and mutton consumption contributed significantly to the total water footprint of residents’ food consumption, contributing 37.5% and 22.56%, respectively. The study is helpful for water management and water allocation in rural and urban areas, improving agricultural technology to reduce the gray water footprint and optimizing food consumption structure, such as reducing the consumption of grain and meat.

A comprehensive understanding of water for food production and consumption is an essential part of achieving sustainable water use. Water footprint is an effective tool to analyze the problems of water and food security. The study analyzed the food production and consumption water footprint of 12 major products from the points of spatial, temporal and structure, including plant-based food and animal food. From 2001 to 2019, the production and consumption water footprint presented an upward trend and almost a three-fold difference between the two. In terms of spatial pattern, the high values were mainly concentrated in eastern China. The water stress level and water footprint of food production basically coincided. However, there seemed to be no significant correlation with water footprint of food consumption. Referring to the great variation in water structure, green water was the dominant not only in food production, but also in consumption. For food structure, grain production and consumption contributed the most to the overall water footprint. Finally, the study put forward suggestions for sustainable food production and consumption. The research is helpful to realize green and efficient water management in the food production process and rational consumption, ensuring food and water security. HIGHLIGHTS The water footprint of food production and consumption of 12 major foods is explored from three aspects: spatial-temporal differences, water resources structure and food structure. There was a three-fold difference between the water footprint of food production and consumption. Green water accounted for the highest proportion of food production and consumption. Food and vegetable production and food and meat consumption had a high water footprint.

The water footprint is a new concept used to understand the water resources uses; however, few studies have applied it to the service industry and the impact analysis are not abundant. This study explored how water footprint of tourism influenced water resources based on inbound tourists to China from 2001 to 2018. The total water footprint of inbound tourists (ITWF) was 7273.15*106 m3, and showed an upward trend. The spatial pattern was agglomerated, being mainly concentrated in North China, East China, and South China. The standard deviation ellipse showed that the horizontal axis was first east, and then west. According to the background water footprint, the ‘contribution’ of ITWF to the background water surplus differed in each province. According to the background water stress, the impact roughly separated into large, medium, and small using overlay analysis. Based on ITWF and water stress levels, the 31 administrative regions of mainland China were separated into four types and put forward suggestions: double-high pressure type, cautious development type, double-low potential type and optimised development type. This study provided a theoretical reference for governments, and is conducive to promoting the coordinated and sustainable development of tourism and water resources.