IELTS Writing Task 2 health questions: ideas, vocabulary and a model essay
Health questions ask about diet, exercise, healthcare funding, ageing populations and who is responsible for people's health. Most of them come down to one tension: personal choice against government action. Prepare arguments on both sides.
Updated 2026-10-23
Common health themes
- Responsibility: individuals vs governments for diet and lifestyle
- Diet: junk food, sugar taxes, advertising to children, school meals
- Activity: exercise, sport in schools, sedentary jobs
- Healthcare: free vs private healthcare, prevention vs treatment, ageing populations
- Well-being: stress, work-life balance, mental health
Topic vocabulary
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sedentary lifestyle | a life with little physical activity | Office work encourages a sedentary lifestyle. |
| obesity | being very overweight | Childhood obesity has risen sharply. |
| diet-related illness | disease linked to what people eat | Diabetes is a common diet-related illness. |
| preventive healthcare | stopping illness before it starts | Preventive healthcare saves money long term. |
| life expectancy | how long people live on average | Life expectancy has risen across the world. |
| an ageing population | a growing share of older people | An ageing population puts pressure on hospitals. |
| public health | the health of the population as a whole | Smoking bans improved public health. |
| a burden on | a heavy cost or responsibility | Obesity is a burden on health services. |
| subsidise | pay part of the cost | Governments could subsidise fresh vegetables. |
| levy | a tax on a product | The sugar levy changed many recipes. |
| work-life balance | time for work and for personal life | Long hours damage work-life balance. |
| access to healthcare | being able to get medical care | Rural areas often lack access to healthcare. |
10 health questions to practise
- Governments should tax unhealthy foods such as sugary drinks to improve public health. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (opinion; model essay below)
- Some people think that individuals are responsible for their own health. Others believe governments should play a greater role. Discuss both views and give your opinion. (discussion)
- In many countries, people are living longer. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? (advantages and disadvantages)
- Obesity rates among children are rising. What are the causes, and what solutions can you suggest? (problem and solution)
- Healthcare should be free for everyone. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (opinion)
- It is better to spend money on preventing illness than on treating it. Do you agree or disagree? (opinion)
- Many people today suffer from stress. Why is this, and what can be done to reduce it? (two-part)
- Advertising junk food to children should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (opinion)
- Some people think that physical education should be a compulsory subject at all school levels. Do you agree or disagree? (opinion)
- Some believe that professional sports stars earn too much money. Others think they deserve it. Discuss both views and give your opinion. (discussion)
Ideas for the most common questions
Personal or government responsibility?
| Individuals | Governments |
|---|---|
| People choose what they eat and how much they exercise | Cheap, heavily advertised junk food shapes those choices |
| Health education is already widely available | Poorer areas lack safe parks, sports facilities and fresh food |
| Too much state control limits personal freedom | Everyone pays for treating preventable illness through taxes |
Free healthcare for all?
| For | Against |
|---|---|
| Nobody avoids treatment because of cost | Very expensive, requiring high taxes |
| Early treatment is cheaper than late emergencies | Free services can mean long waiting lists |
| A healthy workforce benefits the whole economy | Some argue users should contribute to costs they choose |
Prevention or treatment?
| Prevention | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Stops illness before it causes suffering | People who are ill now need care immediately |
| Cheaper in the long run (vaccines, screening) | Benefits of prevention take years to appear |
| Reduces pressure on hospitals | Some illnesses cannot be prevented |
Band 9 model essay
Question: Governments should tax unhealthy foods such as sugary drinks to improve public health. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Rates of obesity and diet-related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes have risen in many countries, and some governments have responded by taxing unhealthy products such as sugary drinks. I strongly agree with this approach, provided that the money raised is used to make healthy food more accessible.
The main argument for such taxes is that they work. When the price of a product rises, people tend to buy less of it, and manufacturers have a reason to change their recipes. After the United Kingdom introduced a levy on sugary soft drinks in 2018, many companies reduced the sugar content of their products to avoid the charge, so consumers ate less sugar without having to change their habits at all. Taxes like this target the products that cause harm, rather than relying on individuals to resist cheap, heavily advertised food.
A common objection is that these taxes are unfair to poorer families, who spend a larger share of their income on food. This concern is real, but it can be addressed. If the revenue is used to subsidise fruit and vegetables, provide free healthy school meals or fund sports facilities in low-income areas, the families who pay most will also benefit most. Moreover, poorer communities often suffer the highest rates of diet-related disease, so they have the most to gain from healthier eating.
Some also argue that adults should be free to choose what they eat. Yet a tax does not ban anything; it simply makes the price reflect part of the cost that unhealthy diets impose on public health systems, which everyone pays for.
In conclusion, I believe taxing unhealthy food is a justified and effective way to improve public health, as long as the money raised is spent on making healthy choices cheaper and easier, particularly for those on low incomes.
Word count: 303
Why this essay works
The writer agrees strongly but adds a condition in the very first paragraph, then answers the two strongest objections (fairness and freedom) instead of ignoring them. Answering objections inside an opinion essay shows the examiner a fully developed position. The UK example is specific without relying on uncertain statistics. See the opinion essay guide.
Related practice
- Society questions, for ageing populations and family life
- Environment questions, for pollution and public health
- Reading passages on health: IELTS Reading health topic
Frequently asked questions
What health topics are common in IELTS Writing?
Obesity and diet, exercise and sport, public versus private healthcare, ageing populations, mental health and stress, junk food advertising, and whether health is a personal or government responsibility.
How do I write about health without medical knowledge?
Focus on social and economic arguments: costs to health systems, effects on families and work, fairness. You do not need medical detail to score well.