# Childhood obesity: causes and solutions: IELTS Writing Task 2 samples

Writing Task 2 - Health

The number of children who are overweight is increasing in many countries. What are the causes of this problem, and what measures could be taken to solve it?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 6 sample

Nowadays, many children in the world are overweight and this number is growing every year. It is a serious problem because overweight children can have health problems when they become adult. In this essay I will explain the main causes of this problem and give some solutions.

The first cause is unhealthy food. Fast food and snacks like chips, biscuits and sugary drinks are very cheap and they are sold everywhere, even near the schools. Also, there are many advertisements on TV and internet which shows this food with cartoons, so children always ask their parents to buy it. The second cause is that children do not play outside like before. They spend most of their free time in front of the screen, playing video games or watching videos on phone. In my city, the park near my house is empty in the afternoon, but when my father was a child it was full of children. Another reason is parents are very busy, so they buy ready meals instead of cooking at home.

There are some solutions to this problem. Firstly, schools should give healthy lunch to students and they should have sport lesson every day. Secondly, government should stop the advertisements of junk food for children. Thirdly, parents must control the time their children use phone and encourage them to play outside.

In conclusion, childhood obesity is caused by unhealthy food, less exercise and busy parents. I think government, schools and families all have responsibility to solve this problem, because if we do nothing, the next generation will have more illness like diabetes and heart disease and this will be very expensive for the country in the future.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 6 essay answers both parts of the question, and the solutions broadly match the causes. The empty park is a relevant personal example. However, the causes and solutions are listed with mechanical markers ("The first cause", "Secondly", "Thirdly"), the busy-parents point gets one sentence and no solution, and the measures are stated without explaining how they would work. Errors such as "advertisements ... which shows", "on phone" and "sport lesson" are noticeable but do not block meaning. For Band 7, the writer would develop each cause and show how each measure addresses it.

## Band 7 sample

In many countries, the proportion of children who are overweight has been rising steadily, and doctors warn that this could lead to serious health problems later in life. This essay will argue that the main causes are poor diet and a lack of physical activity, and that schools, governments and parents all have a role to play in reversing this trend.

The most obvious cause is the type of food that children now eat. Processed snacks, fast food and sugary drinks are cheap, convenient and heavily advertised, often with cartoon characters and free toys designed to appeal to young people. As a result, many children develop a preference for food that is high in sugar, salt and fat. A second cause is that children are far less active than previous generations. Instead of playing outside after school, many spend hours on tablets or games consoles, partly because parents worry about traffic and safety in their neighbourhood. Busy working parents may also have little time to cook fresh meals.

Several measures could help to tackle the problem. Schools are in a strong position to make a difference, since children eat at least one meal there on most days. They could provide balanced lunches, remove vending machines selling fizzy drinks and include some physical activity in every school day. Governments, meanwhile, could restrict the advertising of unhealthy food during children's television programmes and invest in safe parks and playgrounds. Parents could also be given practical advice on preparing quick, healthy meals.

In conclusion, childhood obesity results mainly from unhealthy diets and inactive lifestyles. Although families must take some responsibility, the most effective solutions involve schools and governments making the healthy choice the easier one for children and their parents.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 essay states a clear position in the introduction and keeps to it, and the solutions paragraph follows the causes in a logical order. The point about schools is well extended, explaining why they are "in a strong position to make a difference". However, the busy-parents cause and the advice for parents are each covered in a single sentence, so some ideas remain under-developed. A Band 8 essay would explain how each measure would change children's behaviour and extend every point equally.

The Band 8 and 9 samples are free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/writing/topics/task-2/childhood-obesity).

## Common questions

### How many words should I write?

At least 150 words for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2. Writing a little more is fine; an answer under the minimum loses marks.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Memorised material is marked down and you will not get this exact question. Use the samples to see what each band does with the same task.