Utilization e...tary patterns_ZHU Yuanyuan.pdf

J.Geogr.Sci.2023,33(4):741-759 DOI:https:/doi.org/10.1007/s11442-023-2104-z 2023 Science Press Springer-Verlag Utilization effect of water-land resources under the evolution of Chinese dietary patterns ZHU Yuanyuan1,WANG Ziwei1,*ZHU Xiaohua2 1.Key Laboratory of Geographic Process Analysis&Simulation Hubei Province,Central China Normal Uni-versity,Wuhan 430079,China;2.Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research,CAS,Beijing 100101,China Abstract:Exploring the utilization effect of water-land resources under the evolution of dietary patterns is of great significance in achieving sustainable global food consumption and the effective allocation of national resources.Our selected study area was China,a country with rapidly changing dietary consumption patterns,and the research period was between 1987 and 2020.Based on the material called Chinese Dietary Guidelines 2021,this study intro-duced the“virtual water”and the“virtual land”to quantify the utilization effect of water-land resources under the evolution of Chinese dietary patterns.Results showed that the dietary patterns gradually changed from“cereal-vegetable-based consumption”to“diversified con-sumption”.Food consumptions total water footprint(WF)increased from 471.1 Gm3 in 1987 to 848.8 Gm3 in 2020,with a growth rate of 80.2%.Moreover,the total land requirement for food(LRF)increased from 88.8 Mha in 1987 to 129.9 Mha in 2020,with a growth rate of 46.3%.Furthermore,the meat consumption was the major contributor to the increase in total WF(104.0%)and LRF(102.1%).In contrast to the balanced diet pattern,there was no waste of water-land resources consumption for the food consumption of urban-rural residents in China between 1987 and 2020.However,the consumption of water resources would gradu-ally approach the resource cost under the balanced diet patterns.It would eventually break through the critical value and reach the state of resource waste.In addition,the findings showed that urban residents waste rate of water-land resources for meat consumption in-creased by 142.3%compared with that in 1987.The research results can provide scientific guidance for resolving the food crisis under the supply of water-land resources in China and have an essential reference for national food security and sustainable development of re-sources and environment.Keywords:dietary patterns;water-land resource utilization;food security;sustainable development;China 1 Introduction Food security has always been a global issue that troubles human survival and development.Received:2022-04-09 Accepted:2022-12-23 Foundation:National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.42171230,No.42071170 Author:Zhu Yuanyuan(1985),PhD and Associate Professor,specialized in regional development and urban-rural planning.E-mail:*Corresponding author:Zhu Xiaohua(1972),PhD and Professor,specialized in sustainable consumption and resource and environmental effects.E-mail: 742 Journal of Geographical Sciences The current food system was facing increasing challenges,specifically resource scarcity,environmental degradation and unsustainable patterns of production and consumption(FAO and WHO,2014).In response to the above challenges,the United Nations(UN)Decade of Action on Nutrition(20162025)vigorously promoted the transformation of the food system and stimulated a healthy diet for sustainable production(WHO,2017).The frequency and severity of international conflicts,climate change and economic slowdowns and recessions are continuing to rise,and the global goal of achieving the UN Zero Hunger for the Sus-tainable Development Goals by 2030 is facing enormous challenges.Food consumption is an important link between human nutrition and health and environment sustainable devel-opment.Agricultural production needed to consume 70%of the global freshwater resources and 38%of the global land resources(UNESCO,2021).In recent years,income growth and urbanization have driven a shift in global diets to high sugar,high calories and high fats,mainly as grain consumption decreases year by year,while animal-based food and oilseeds intake increase year by year(Poore and Nemecek,2018).Such a trend will continue to in-crease the consumption of water-land resources caused by global agricultural expansion and become the primary driving factor for global food insecurity.The UN Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO)has called for the strengthening of the food environment,changing consumer behavior and advocating dietary patterns with a positive impact on human health and environment(FAO et al.,2021).Therefore,knowing how to minimize the utilization of water-land resources in food supply to meet the nutrition demand has become a significant subject of sustainable consumption.The change in dietary patterns increased the pressure on agricultural resources and the environment,especially the small change in animal-based food consumption structure that would greatly affect the demand for water-land resources,thus aggra