IELTS vocabulary
IELTS health vocabulary
Words for fitness, diet, healthcare and wellbeing, a common Task 2 and Part 1 topic.
Each entry has the typical band it's useful for, a plain meaning, an example sentence and the words it most often goes with. Learn the collocations along with the word: that's what makes vocabulary sound natural.
Band 6 words
antibiotic noun
A medicine used to treat infections caused by bacteria.
Doctors should prescribe an antibiotic only when it is likely to treat a bacterial infection.
Collocations: take an antibiotic · prescribe an antibiotic · a course of antibiotics
anxiety noun
A feeling of worry or fear that may be difficult to control.
Regular exercise can help reduce anxiety, although some people also need professional support.
Collocations: suffer from anxiety · reduce anxiety · anxiety disorder
balanced diet noun
A diet containing the right amounts of different foods for good health.
A balanced diet can help people maintain a healthy weight and lower their risk of disease.
Collocations: eat a balanced diet · balanced diet and exercise · maintain a balanced diet
contagious adjective
Able to spread from one person to another through close contact.
Schools may need clear guidance on when children with a contagious illness can return to class.
Collocations: highly contagious · a contagious disease · a contagious illness
diabetes noun
A disease in which the body cannot properly control the amount of sugar in the blood.
Early diagnosis of diabetes can help people manage the condition more effectively.
Collocations: type 2 diabetes · diabetes diagnosis · manage diabetes
eating habits noun phrase
The usual choices and patterns of a person's diet.
Busy work schedules can influence eating habits and encourage people to choose convenient foods.
Collocations: healthy eating habits · improve eating habits
fitness noun
The state of being physically healthy and strong.
Regular walking is an affordable way to improve fitness and reduce stress.
Collocations: physical fitness · improve fitness · fitness levels
GP noun
A doctor who provides general medical care and can refer patients to specialists.
People with persistent symptoms should consult their GP rather than self-diagnose.
Collocations: see a GP · register with a GP · GP surgery
heal verb
To become healthy again or make an injury or illness better.
It can take several weeks for a serious injury to heal completely.
Collocations: heal naturally · wounds heal
health awareness noun phrase
People's knowledge and understanding of health issues.
Schools can raise health awareness by teaching pupils about nutrition and exercise.
Collocations: raise health awareness · health awareness campaign
healthy lifestyle noun phrase
A way of living that supports good physical and mental health.
A healthy lifestyle usually involves a balanced diet, regular exercise and enough sleep.
Collocations: adopt a healthy lifestyle · maintain a healthy lifestyle · healthy lifestyle choices
heart disease noun phrase
A condition that affects the heart or the blood vessels supplying it.
A balanced diet and regular exercise can lower the risk of heart disease.
Collocations: risk of heart disease · heart disease prevention · develop heart disease
hygiene noun · formal
Practices that help people keep themselves and their surroundings clean and healthy.
Good personal hygiene can reduce the spread of infectious diseases.
Collocations: personal hygiene · food hygiene · maintain hygiene
junk food noun · informal
Food that is high in calories but low in nutrients.
Schools can encourage healthier eating by limiting the sale of junk food on their premises.
Collocations: eat junk food · junk food consumption · junk food advertising
medical treatment noun phrase
Care given by health professionals to prevent or manage illness or injury.
Early medical treatment can prevent minor health problems from becoming more serious.
Collocations: receive medical treatment · medical treatment options
medication noun · formal
A drug or other substance used to treat or prevent an illness.
Some people need long-term medication to control chronic conditions.
Collocations: take medication · prescribed medication · medication for a condition
nutrition noun · academic
The process of getting the substances needed for health and growth from food.
Good nutrition in childhood can support healthy development and improve concentration at school.
Collocations: good nutrition · nutrition education · nutrition and health
nutritious adjective
Containing substances that are needed for health and growth.
Affordable school meals should be nutritious as well as appealing to children.
Collocations: nutritious food · nutritious meal · nutritious diet
overweight adjective
Heavier than is considered healthy for a person's height.
Children who are overweight may face a greater risk of health problems later in life.
Collocations: become overweight · overweight children
physical activity noun phrase · academic
Any movement of the body that uses energy.
Children need regular physical activity to support healthy development.
Collocations: regular physical activity · levels of physical activity · increase physical activity
prescription noun · formal
An official instruction from a medical professional for a particular medicine or treatment.
Patients should follow the prescription carefully rather than stop taking their medicine when they feel better.
Collocations: a prescription for medicine · fill a prescription · a repeat prescription
processed food noun
Food that has been changed from its natural state, often to preserve it or improve its taste.
People who rely heavily on processed food may consume too much salt and sugar.
Collocations: eat processed food · highly processed food · processed food industry
recovery noun
The process of returning to good health after an illness or injury.
A supportive home environment can make recovery easier for people who have been seriously ill.
Collocations: make a full recovery · speed up recovery · recovery from illness
side effect noun phrase
An unwanted result of taking a medicine or receiving a treatment.
Some patients stop taking their medication because they are concerned about a side effect.
Collocations: a common side effect · experience a side effect · side effect of treatment
surgery noun · formal
Medical treatment that involves cutting into the body to repair or remove tissue.
Although surgery can be effective, doctors should also explain the possible risks and recovery time.
Collocations: undergo surgery · surgery for cancer · emergency surgery
symptom noun
A physical or mental sign that may indicate an illness or condition.
A persistent cough is a common symptom, but it can have several different causes.
Collocations: a common symptom · symptom of an illness · develop a symptom
workout noun
A period of physical exercise.
A short daily workout can help people maintain fitness even when they have limited free time.
Collocations: do a workout · intense workout
Band 7 words
addiction noun
A strong dependence on a substance or activity that is difficult to stop.
Addiction to online gaming can interfere with teenagers’ sleep and schoolwork.
Collocations: addiction to something · drug addiction · addiction treatment
alternative medicine noun phrase
Treatments used instead of conventional medical care.
Some people try alternative medicine when standard treatments have not relieved their symptoms.
Collocations: practise alternative medicine · alternative medicine treatments
calorie intake noun phrase · academic
The total number of calories a person consumes through food and drink.
People who want to manage their weight may need to monitor their calorie intake.
Collocations: daily calorie intake · reduce calorie intake · monitor calorie intake
chronic disease noun · academic
A health condition that lasts a long time and usually needs ongoing care.
Regular exercise may reduce the risk of developing a chronic disease later in life.
Collocations: chronic disease prevention · risk of chronic disease · manage a chronic disease
depression noun · formal
A mental health condition that causes lasting sadness and loss of interest.
Depression can affect a person's relationships and ability to work, so early support is important.
Collocations: suffer from depression · clinical depression · treatment for depression
deteriorate verb · formal
To become worse in quality, condition, or health.
Without appropriate care, a patient's condition may deteriorate rapidly.
Collocations: health deteriorates · deteriorate rapidly
diagnosis noun · formal
A doctor's identification of an illness or condition based on its signs and tests.
An early diagnosis can improve treatment options and reduce the risk of complications.
Collocations: receive a diagnosis · an accurate diagnosis · early diagnosis
epidemic noun · formal
A sudden increase in cases of a disease within a particular area or community.
Public education can help prevent an epidemic by encouraging people to seek medical advice early.
Collocations: an epidemic of disease · prevent an epidemic · an epidemic spreads
fatal adjective · formal
Causing death.
In some cases, delayed diagnosis can have fatal consequences.
Collocations: fatal accident · fatal consequences
health insurance noun phrase
An arrangement that helps pay for medical treatment and healthcare costs.
Health insurance can protect families from the financial burden of unexpected medical bills.
Collocations: private health insurance · health insurance coverage · health insurance premiums
healthcare noun · formal
The organised services and treatment provided to maintain or improve people's health.
Affordable healthcare allows people to seek treatment before minor problems become serious.
Collocations: access to healthcare · healthcare services · public healthcare
immunity noun · academic
The body's ability to resist a particular infection or disease.
Immunity may weaken over time, so some people need additional vaccine doses.
Collocations: build immunity · natural immunity · immunity to infection
infectious adjective · formal
Able to spread from one person or organism to another, usually through infection.
People with an infectious illness should avoid crowded places until they are no longer a risk to others.
Collocations: an infectious disease · highly infectious · an infectious illness
life expectancy noun phrase · academic
The average number of years that a person or group is expected to live.
Better access to preventive care has helped increase life expectancy in many communities.
Collocations: life expectancy at birth · increase life expectancy · average life expectancy
life-threatening adjective · formal
Serious enough to cause death.
A severe allergic reaction can become life-threatening if it is not treated promptly.
Collocations: life-threatening condition · life-threatening illness
mental health noun phrase · formal
A person's emotional and psychological wellbeing.
Schools can support mental health by teaching students how to manage pressure and seek help.
Collocations: mental health services · mental health problems · improve mental health
obesity noun · academic
The condition of having an unhealthy amount of body fat.
Obesity is becoming more common, partly because many people have inactive routines and poor diets.
Collocations: childhood obesity · rates of obesity · prevent obesity
outpatient noun · formal
A patient who receives medical care without staying overnight in hospital.
As an outpatient, she can attend regular appointments without disrupting her daily routine.
Collocations: outpatient clinic · outpatient treatment · outpatient appointment
pandemic noun · formal
A disease outbreak that spreads across many countries or continents.
A pandemic can disrupt education and employment as well as place pressure on hospitals.
Collocations: a global pandemic · a pandemic spreads · the impact of a pandemic
physical well-being noun phrase
A person's overall bodily health and ability to function well.
Regular exercise can improve physical well-being, particularly among people with sedentary jobs.
Collocations: improve physical well-being · physical well-being and mental health
public health noun phrase · academic
The health of a population and efforts to protect or improve it.
Investment in public health can reduce the long-term costs of treating preventable diseases.
Collocations: public health services · public health campaign
remedy noun
A treatment or action that helps solve a problem or relieve an illness.
Regular exercise is not a remedy for every health problem, but it can improve overall fitness.
Collocations: home remedy · an effective remedy · remedy for a problem
sanitation noun · academic
Systems for safely removing human waste and keeping water and places clean.
Improving sanitation can protect communities from waterborne illnesses.
Collocations: adequate sanitation · sanitation facilities · sanitation services
sedentary lifestyle noun · academic
A way of life involving little physical activity.
A sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk of health problems, particularly when combined with an unhealthy diet.
Collocations: lead a sedentary lifestyle · sedentary lifestyle and obesity · avoid a sedentary lifestyle
sleep deprivation noun phrase · academic
A lack of sufficient sleep over a period of time.
Sleep deprivation can make it harder for students to concentrate and learn.
Collocations: chronic sleep deprivation · suffer from sleep deprivation · effects of sleep deprivation
therapy noun · formal
A treatment intended to improve someone's physical or mental health.
For some patients, therapy provides practical strategies for managing stress and improving daily life.
Collocations: receive therapy · physical therapy · therapy for anxiety
vaccination noun · formal
The act of giving a vaccine to protect someone against a disease.
Widespread vaccination can reduce the number of serious cases and protect vulnerable people.
Collocations: routine vaccination · vaccination programme · vaccination against disease
vulnerable groups plural noun phrase · formal
People who face a greater risk of harm or poor health than others.
Public health campaigns should be designed to reach vulnerable groups effectively.
Collocations: protect vulnerable groups · support vulnerable groups · vulnerable groups in society
wellbeing noun · formal
A person’s overall state of health, happiness and comfort.
Access to green spaces can improve both physical health and mental wellbeing.
Collocations: mental wellbeing · overall wellbeing · promote wellbeing
Band 8+ words
malnutrition noun · academic
Poor health caused by not getting enough, or the right kinds of, food.
Malnutrition can affect children's physical growth and their ability to learn.
Collocations: childhood malnutrition · malnutrition and poverty · tackle malnutrition
mortality rate noun phrase · academic
The number of deaths in a particular population over a set period.
Improved emergency care can lower the mortality rate for people with serious injuries.
Collocations: a high mortality rate · reduce the mortality rate · mortality rate among adults
preventive medicine noun phrase · academic
Medical care that aims to prevent illness rather than treat it after it develops.
Greater investment in preventive medicine could reduce the long-term pressure on hospitals.
Collocations: preventive medicine programmes · preventive medicine services · the field of preventive medicine
Learn these words for good
Add words to your list in the app and review them with flashcards, quizzes and spaced repetition: ten new IELTS words a day, five minutes.