IELTS Vocabulary for Health

universal healthcare — state-provided care for everyone. "Supporters argue universal healthcare is a right, not a product."

public vs private healthcare — "Private hospitals offer shorter queues at a higher price."

preventive care — stopping illness before it starts. "Preventive care costs far less than emergency treatment."

to fund (treatment/research) — "Taxpayers should not have to fund treatment for self-inflicted illness — or so the argument goes."

a burden on the health system — "Obesity places an enormous burden on the health system."

life expectancy — how long people live on average. "Life expectancy has stalled in several rich countries."

a sedentary lifestyle — mostly sitting, little movement. "Office work has made the sedentary lifestyle the default."

obesity / obesity epidemic — "Childhood obesity has tripled in a generation."

a balanced diet — "A balanced diet matters more than any supplement."

processed food — industrially prepared food with additives. "Processed food is cheap, fast and quietly harmful."

mental health / wellbeing — "Mental health is finally discussed as seriously as physical health."

work-life balance — "Poor work-life balance shows up eventually as illness."

to take up (exercise/a sport) — "Governments should make it easier to take up exercise."

to impose a tax on (sugar/cigarettes) — "Taxing sugary drinks worked in several countries."

to raise awareness — "Campaigns raise awareness, but awareness alone rarely changes behaviour."

to subsidise healthy food — "Subsidising vegetables beats lecturing people about eating them."

personal responsibility vs state intervention — the central axis of most health essays; name it explicitly.

in the long run — "Prevention is cheaper in the long run."

Every health essay is really an argument about who should act: individuals, companies or the state. Decide your position first, then pick three phrases that serve it.

Numbers help even when approximate: 'childhood obesity has tripled in a generation' is the kind of confident claim that reads as well-informed (keep it plausible and general, never fake-precision like 73.4%).