IELTS Writing Task 2: Who Is Responsible for Public Health? (Band 9 Sample)

As rates of obesity and lifestyle-related illness climb, there is growing debate over who should be held responsible for public health. While some insist it is a matter of personal choice, others look to the state to intervene. In my view, although individuals must take charge of their own habits, governments have a duty to make the healthy option the easy one.

1. The case for personal responsibility

On one hand, adults are ultimately the ones who decide what to eat, whether to exercise and whether to smoke. Since these are private choices, it seems reasonable to argue that people should bear the consequences of them and that a nanny state which polices every meal would be both intrusive and impractical.

2. The case for government action

On the other hand, personal choices are not made in a vacuum. Governments shape the environment in which we live, and they can do a great deal — subsidising fresh food, taxing sugary drinks, funding sports facilities and running education campaigns — to nudge citizens towards healthier behaviour. When unhealthy products are cheap and heavily marketed, expecting willpower alone to solve the problem is unrealistic.

In conclusion, while I firmly believe that individuals must accept responsibility for their own lifestyles, I am convinced that governments should actively support them by making healthy choices affordable and accessible. Responsibility, in short, is best shared between the two.