Healthcare, health and sport

About the topic
The Healthcare, health and sport topic includes health problems and disabilities (physical
and mental), ways of keeping fit and healthy, diet/nutrition and exercise, ways of providing (and educating people about) healthcare and health services, medical innovations and treatments, the benefits and management of common sports.

This is one topic especially where you need to remember not to give personal stories about
yourself or people that you know in the Task 2 Writing!

Topic 3 example Task
Many doctors are concerned about the high use of computer games by children and young
people. What mental and physical problems may arise from excessive use of these games? How could these problems be reduced?

Explanation of the Task
This is an Ideas>Problem/solution type Task.
It does not ask about whether computer games are good or not, but about your ideas regarding possible mental and physical problems due to excessive use, and also any solutions that you can think of.

You should introduce the topic, describe two or three problems, then two or three solutions,
and then summarise. Notice that the Task asks about mental and physical problems, so you should say something on each type of problem.


Band 9 model essay
Children appear to enjoy playing video games, and while there are undoubted benefits,
various negative effects stem from this too. Let us consider the main issues, and then outline possible remedies.


Perhaps the major physical problem is the sedentary lifestyle which these games encourage, meaning that youngsters may incline to obesity or inadequate development. Added to this is the strain on eyesight resulting from excessive use of screens and consoles, meaning that children may suffer symptoms of poor vision. There are also concerns about impairment of reflexes due to the repetitive nature of the hand muscles when playing these games, and about the poor diet of convenience food which often accompanies this lifestyle.

The most alarming psychological impact of such activities is possibly the risk of addiction,
meaning that children become obsessed with the games and are unable to socialise with family or peers. This undermines their interpersonal skills and makes them underperform both academically and socially.


Turning to possible solutions, perhaps the immediate step would be to promote a more active lifestyle through exercise regimes or sports programmes which would help to detoxify the lifestyles of children affected. This could be done through sponsorship of sports, or participation in competitive events such as races or matches, hopefully ameliorating the physical effects of excessive games use. Potential remedies for the danger of mental addiction may be, firstly, an initiative to raise awareness of the risks of the situation, for example through health warnings on games packaging or through high-profile spokespersons spreading such a message. For example, if sports champions or figureheads speak out about these dangers, the message may well get through to children.

To sum up, the risks posed by excessive gaming are connected to an unhealthy lifestyle and the possibility of dependency on the activity. Possible answers might involve stronger education about the dangers and the health benefits of more active pursuits.
(313 words)


Explanation of the topic vocabulary and examples in Speaking

to stem from = to come or derive from, often used for negative things
Example =A lot of delinquency these days stems from the use of drugs or alcohol.

sedentary lifestyle = a lifestyle where people sit for long periods and are generally inactive
Example =I used to keep fit, but since I started working as an architect my lifestyle had become mostly
sedentary.

obesity = the medical condition of being seriously overweight
In some countries, obesity is the major cause of death among young adults.

inadequate development = insufficient or obstructed growth of the body
If children smoke, this can cause inadequate development of their lungs and brains.

strain = stress or overwork, physical or mental
Example =I had to take a vacation due to the strain of working such long hours.

symptoms = indications that a medical problem is present
Example =A sore throat and headache are symptoms of a cold or flu.

impairment (verb = to impair = to hinder or damage an ability)
Example =His hearing was impaired when he heard a loud explosion as a child.

poor diet = a lifestyle diet without sufficient nutrients
Example =Malnutrition happens due to a poor diet and lack of medical care.
(‘a diet’ can also mean a programme of reduced calories intended to help you lose weight:
‘My sister is always trying new diets because she wants to lose 2 kilos before the summer’)

convenience food = food which is cooked in its packaging, usually in a microwave
Example =British and American people eat a large amount of convenience food.

addiction = the state of being unable to live without something
Example =Many young people are addicted to social media or Internet use.

to socialise = to meet with friends and other people in a friendly way
Example =At weekends, I like to socialise at parties and in cafes with my old friends.

interpersonal skills = the skills of dealing with people successfully
Example =My boss used to be very annoying, but then he went on a course to develop proper interpersonal skills.

to underperform = to perform below your peers or expectations
Example =My football team are underperforming badly this year.

active lifestyle = a lifestyle with proper exercise and fitness
Example =The government tries to promote an active lifestyle, but this is not successful.

a regime, a programme = a planned system of exercise, diet or sport
Example =I adopted a vegetarian regime for three months before my exams.
(‘regime’ also means a very strict government: ‘In the 1970’s, many South American
countries were ruled by police regimes.’)

to detoxify your body = to remove impurities and poisons
Example =I went to a clinic to detoxify because I was eating too much fatty food.

sponsorship = payment from a company to a sport or other activity in return for publicity
Example =Motor racing is often sponsored by energy drink brands.

participation = to participate in something = to join and take part in it
Example =I participated in wrestling when I was at college, but then I gave up.

competitive = the adjective of ‘competition’
Example =Canadians are very competitive about ice hockey teams.

ameliorating the physical effects = to ameliorate = to make a problem less damaging
Example =The effects of his injury were ameliorated by extensive physiotherapy.

remedies = cures or answers to a problem or situation
Example =There are many remedies for cold and flu available in pharmacy stores.

an initiative = a new programme or idea, usually in government or business
Example =We need initiatives to tackle obesity, anti-social behaviour and delinquency.

raise awareness = to make people more aware of or caring about an issue
Example =We organised a marathon to raise awareness of heart disease and ways to prevent it through exercise.

health warnings = notices on cigarette or alcohol packaging warning about the medical
effects
Example =Almost all countries have health warnings on tobacco these days.

champions = highly successful people in sport or business
Example =Roger Federer is a champion tennis player, and a good role model too.

figureheads = people who represent part of society, officially or unofficially
Example =The singer Adele is a figurehead for many young women these days.

dependency = the condition of relying on something in an addictive way
Example =The player was treated for drug dependency at a detox clinic in Paris.

pursuits = hobbies or sports which people do for enjoyment
Example =Skiing and cycling are my main pursuits at weekends.

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