100+ Common Words of the Topic Health and Fitness for the IELTS Exam

1. Vocabulary related to health issues

addiction (n.) – an inability to stop doing or using something, especially something harmful	The internet can provide hours of entertainment. However, it can also lead to internet addiction* or health problems.*
allergy (n.) – a condition that makes a person become sick or develop skin or breathing problems because they have eaten certain foods or been near certain substances	If you have a food allergy, make sure you avoid any of the ingredients that can trigger an attack.
anxiety (n.) – an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future	Studies suggest that the inability to deal with stress is associated with the onset of depression or anxiety.
dehydration (n.) – a drop below normal levels of water in the body	Cholera causes severe dehydration.
depression (n.) – a mental illness in which a person is very unhappy and anxious (= worried and nervous) for long periods and cannot have a normal life during these periods	Access to pets can also reduce the severity of depression* among hospital patients and help ease the misery of bereavement.*
difficulty (n.) – a problem	There is also evidence that dental problems caused difficulties* in other early civilizations and people from those times actually developed treatments for them.*
disease (n.) – (an) illness of people, animals, plants, etc., caused by infection or a failure of health rather than by an accident	Evidence has linked stress to heart disease* in men, particularly in work situations where they lack control.*
disorder (n.) – an illness of the mind or body	Some studies, however, have not found any strong link between stress and eating disorders.
exposure (n.) – the fact of experiencing something or being affected by it because of being in a particular situation or place	He asserts that the notion that a single exposure to a chemical mixture automatically places a person into a higher risk category is an urban myth that has no foundation.
factor (n.) – a fact or situation that influences the result of something	Different stress factors* may affect genders differently.*
harm (n.) – physical or other injury or damage	Missing a meal once in a while never did anyone any harm.
heart attack (n.) – a serious medical condition in which the heart does not get enough blood, causing great pain and often leading to death	If an artery that carries blood to the heart becomes blocked, the heart muscle can die. This is known as a heart attack.
infection (n.) – a condition in which bacteria or viruses that cause disease have entered the body	Ear infections are common in preschool children.
insomnia (n.) – the condition of being unable to sleep, over a period of time	The tensions of unresolved stress frequently cause insomnia, generally keeping the stressed person awake or causing awakening in the middle of the night or early morning.
onset (n.) – the moment at which something begins, and especially something uncomfortable or unpleasant	Studies suggest that the inability to deal with stress is associated with the onset* of depression or anxiety.*
risk (n.) – the possibility of something bad happening	Some research has suggested that stress may be a risk* factor for suicide.*
side effect (n.) – an unpleasant effect of a drug, medical treatment, or vaccine (= a substance put into a person’s body to stop them getting a disease) that happens in addition to the main intended effect	Although the drug is very effective, it does have some unpleasant side effects.
stress (n.) – great worry caused by a difficult situation, or something that causes this condition	In prehistoric times, the physical changes in response to stress* were an essential adaptation for meeting natural threats.*
stroke (n.) – a sudden change in the blood supply to a part of the brain, sometimes causing a loss of the ability to move particular parts of the body	If the blockage occurs in an artery that carries blood to the brain. part of the brain can die. This is known as a stroke.
acute (adj.) – an acute pain or illness is one that quickly becomes very severe	*Acute* stress can also be harmful in certain situations.
allergic (adj.) – having an allergy	The studies show that children may develop a severe allergic* reaction to GM foods.*
bacterial (adj.) – caused by, made from, or relating to bacteria	During the bacterial* reduction of one mole of sulphate, four moles of hydrogen are consumed.*
chronic (adj.) – (especially of a disease or something bad) continuing for a long time	*Chronic* pain caused by arthritis and other conditions may be intensified by stress.
considerable (adj.) – large or of noticeable importance	The charts clearly show that, in modern times, obesity poses a considerable* problem from the age of 30 upwards.*
contagious (adj.) – a contagious disease can be caught by touching someone who has the disease or by touching an infected object, or by an infected person coughing, sneezing, etc. near you	Patients with diseases that are contagious* are isolated in a special area.*
daunting (adj.) – làm thoái chí, làm nản chí	Indeed, when you are faced with a daunting* problem, feeling depressed is often a useful response that may help you analyse and solve it.*
doubtful (adj.) – making you feel slightly frightened or worried about your ability to achieve something	It is doubtful* whether running is good for you when people get so many physical injuries as a result.*
harmful (adj.) – causing harm	Pregnant women are excluded from receiving CT scans, as the X-rays can be harmful* to the fetus.*
imperceptible (adj.) – unable to be noticed or felt because of being very slight	When they brought her into the emergency room, her breathing was imperceptible.
indicative (adj.) – being or relating to a sign that something exists, is true, or is likely to happen	Memory loss may be indicative of a more serious condition.
infectious (adj.) – (of a disease) able to be passed from one person, animal, or plant to another	The diseases of poverty, in contrast, are predominantly infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and diarrhoeal diseases.
insurmountable (adj.) – (especially of a problem or a difficulty) so great that it cannot be dealt with successfully	They were now faced with seemingly insurmountable* technical problems.*
long-sighted (adj.) – a long-sighted person can only clearly see objects that are far away	*Long-sighted* people are unable to see close objects clearly.
ongoing (adj.) – continuing to exist or develop, or happening at the present moment	Depression is an ongoing* and pervasive problem in our society.*
overweight (adj.) – fat	The proportion of Newtown inhabitants who are overweight* or obese increases steadily with age.*
persistent (adj.) – lasting for a long time or difficult to get rid of	If stress becomes persistent* and low-level, all parts of the body’s stress apparatus become chronically over- or under-activated.*
pervasive (adj.) – present or noticeable in every part of a thing or place	Depression is an ongoing and pervasive* problem in our society.*
problematic (adj.) – full of problems or difficulties	Depressed people dwell on personal problems, breaking them down into smaller components. Each individual component is less problematic.
deteriorate (v.) – to become worse	After all, the functioning of all body systems and organs tends to deteriorate* with age.*
diminish (v.) – to reduce or be reduced in size or importance	Certainly, on a more obvious level, stress diminishes* the quality of life by reducing feelings of pleasure and accomplishment, and relationships are often threatened.*
disrupt (v.) – to prevent something, especially a system, process, or event, from continuing as usual or as expected	Some evidence suggests that repeated release of stress hormones disrupts normal levels of serotonin, the nerve chemical that is critical for feelings of well-being.
misdiagnose (v.) – to state that a person has a particular illness or condition, when in fact they have a different one	She underwent unnecessary surgery because doctors misdiagnosed* her with cancer.*
overdo (v.) – to do something in a way that is too extreme	One sure sign that you may overdo* exercise is if you can’t carry on a conversation while you do it.*
trigger (v.) – to cause something to start	In rare cases, stress may trigger* hyperactivity of the thyroid gland.*

2. Vocabulary about health and healthcare

appetite (n.) – the feeling that you want to eat food	In contrast, some people suffer a loss of appetite* and consequently lose weight.*
artery (n.) – one of the thick tubes that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body	If an artery* that carries blood to the heart becomes blocked, the heart muscle can die.*
asset (n.) – a useful or valuable quality, skill, or person	Even in the modern world, the stress response can be an asset* for raising levels of performance during critical events.*
benefit (n.) – a helpful or good effect, or something intended to help	Researchers have already proven that green tea has considerable health benefits.
craving (n.) – a strong feeling of wanting something	Many people develop cravings* for salt, fat and sugar to counteract tension and, thus, gain weight.*
diagnosis (n.) – a judgment about what a particular illness or problem is, made after examining it	The condition is associated with obesity; however, nearly three-quarters of the rise has been attributed to longer lifespans and better diagnosis.
dose (n.) – a measured amount of something such as medicine	Recent research casts doubt on the magnitude of many of these seemingly undesirable effects and even suggests that a daily dose of caffeine may reduce the risk of some chronic diseases while providing short-term benefits as well.
health (n.) – the condition of the body and the degree to which it is free from illness, or the state of being well	Pets also make children happier. They are associated with improved psychological well-being, which in turn impacts positively on physical health.
healthcare (n.) – the activity or business of providing medical services	Large corporations should have some responsibility in providing healthcare, safe working conditions, and an environment of equality.
therapy (n.) – a treatment that helps someone feel better, grow stronger, etc., especially after an illness	There is some hope for sufferers in this area as relaxation therapy* has been found to reduce stress levels and consequently improve the quality of sleep.*
treatment (n.) – the use of drugs, exercises, etc. to cure a person of an illness or injury	When having a heart attack, the sufferer must receive treatment* quickly.*
immeasurable (adj.) – so large or great that it cannot be measured or known exactly	The new medicine has brought about an immeasurable* improvement in her life.*
moderate (adj.) – neither small nor large in size, amount, degree, or strength	You should do thirty minutes of moderate* exercise on most days.*
realistic (adj.) – accepting things as they are in fact and not making decisions based on unlikely hopes for the future	Health authorities need to increase public awareness of these issues, but we also need to be realistic. Fast food is popular not only because it is convenient but also because it is tasty.
short-term (adj.) – lasting a short time	While many of caffeine’s undesirable effects, such as elevated heart rate and blood pressure, are brief, some short-term benefits, including pain relief, increased alertness, and increased physical endurance, have also been attributed to caffeine.
vital (adj.) – necessary for the success or continued existence of something; extremely important	The ability to make quick decisions is vital* in an emergency.*
activate (v.) – to cause something to start	Stress can certainly influence the activity of the heart when it activates* the sympathetic nervous system.*
administer (v.) – to cause someone to receive something	Transporting vaccines isn’t easy because they’re so fragile, so they’re hoping to make an edible vaccine that’ll be easier to ship, score and even administer* to patients.*
affect (v.) – to have an influence on someone or something, or to cause a change in someone or something	Such actions and others could theoretically negatively affect* the heart in several different ways.*
alleviate (v.) – to make something bad such as pain or problems less severe	By constricting blood vessels in the brain, it can alleviate* headaches – even migraines – and can help counter the drowsiness caused by antihistamines.*
avoid (v.) – to stay away from someone or something	You should avoid* high-fat convenience foods to improve your health.*
combat (v.) – to try to stop something unpleasant or harmful from happening or increasing	Phase II clinical trials test several hundred volunteers to determine how effectively the drug combats* the disease being studied.*
confirm (v.) – to make an arrangement or meeting certain, often by phone or writing	Nevertheless, evidence is still needed to confirm* any clear-cut relationship between stress and heart disease.*
counteract (v.) – to reduce or remove the effect of something unwanted by producing an opposite effect	Many people develop cravings for salt, fat and sugar to counteract tension and, thus, gain weight.
curb (v.) – to control or limit something that is not wanted	It is important for governments to act quickly to curb* obesity because of the rising death rate.*
cure (v.) – to make someone with an illness healthy again	Some medicines are undertaken to cure* diseases of the eye, the head and the teeth.*
diagnose (v.) – to recognize and name the exact character of a disease or a problem, by examining it	When I was diagnosed* with diabetes, they told me I couldn’t eat chocolate.*
examine (v.) – to look at or consider a person or thing carefully and in detail in order to discover something about them	Another doctor examined* her and could still find nothing wrong.*
improve (v.) – to (cause something to) get better	There is some hope for sufferers in this area as relaxation therapy has been found to reduce stress levels and consequently improve* the quality of sleep.*
recognise (v.) – to know someone or something because you have seen or heard him or her or experienced it before	Psychologists now recognise* that there are many different types of intelligence and these are reflected in your personality.*
recover (v.) – to become completely well again after an illness or injury	It took her a long time to recover* from her heart operation.*
resolve (v.) – to solve or end a problem or difficulty	The paradox could be resolved* if depression was linked to growing old.*
screen (v.) – to test or examine someone or something to discover if there is anything wrong with him, her, or it	Men over 50 are routinely screened* for prostate abnormalities.*
subsidise (v.) – to pay part of the cost of something	To combat this problem, governments should, first of all, heavily tax junk food and use the revenue generated to subsidise* healthy fruit and vegetables.*
vaccinate (v.) – to give someone a vaccine, usually by injection, to prevent them from getting a disease	All children should be vaccinated* against infectious diseases such as measles.*

3. Vocabulary about nutrition and the body

diet (n.) – an eating plan in which someone eats less food, or only particular types of food, because they want to become thinner or for medical reasons	Weight gain can occur even with a healthy diet* in some people exposed to stress.*
dietitian (n.) – a person who scientifically studies and gives advice about food and eating	Leading dietitians* recommend eating plenty of fruit and vegetables.*
obesity (n.) – the fact of being extremely fat, in a way that is dangerous for health	Stress can have varying effects on eating problems and weight. Often stress is related to weight gain and obesity.
obese (adj.) – extremely fat in a way that is dangerous for health	There has been a significant increase in the number of obese* people in Newtown.*
exercise (n.) – physical activity that you do to make your body strong and healthy	It was only after several weeks of strenuous exercise* that I finally regained my fitness levels.*
fast food (n.) – hot food such as hamburgers that is quick to cook or is already cooked and is therefore served very quickly in a restaurant	I hope that they will stop making food with so many additives in it and that fast food will become a lot healthier.
fat (n.) – the substance under the skin of humans and animals that stores energy and keeps them warm	A diet that is high in fat* can gradually cause a build-up in your arteries that slows down the blood flow and can even block small arteries.*
ingredient (n.) – a food that is used with other foods in the preparation of a particular dish	Preparing a healthy meal can take a lot of time as you need to have fresh ingredients.
intake (n.) – an act of taking in something, especially breath	You should reduce your intake of foods that are high in fats, sugar and salt.
junk food (n.) – food that is unhealthy but is quick and easy to eat	Now that I live by myself, I find I’m too busy to cook or shop for food, so I tend to eat too much junk food nowadays.
muscle (n.) – one of many tissues in the body that can tighten and relax to produce movement	The heart is considered to be a muscle* and, just like any other muscle in your body.*
nutrient (n.) – chất dinh dưỡng	Fruit and vegetables contain vital nutrients.
nutrition (n.) – any substance that plants or animals need in order to live and grow	Finally, we eat for pleasure as well as nutrition* and for this reason I believe that pills will never replace well-cooked food.*
portion (n.) – the amount of a particular food that is served to one person, especially in a restaurant or a shop that sells food ready to be eaten	Eat moderate portions* and don’t be tempted to order a larger size when eating out.*
protein (n.) – one of the many substances found in food such as meat, cheese, fish, or eggs, that is necessary for the body to grow and be strong	Soy protein, which can help prevent heart disease, is being added to new breakfast cereals.
serving (n.) – an amount of one type of food that is given to one person	You are recommended to eat at least two servings* of fruit and three of vegetables every day.*
variety (n.) – many different types of things or people	Make sure that you eat a variety* of foods. It is important to eat from all five food groups.*
weight (n.) – the amount that something or someone weighs	The correct weight* for you depends on many different factors including your age, height and sex.*
alternate (adj.) – with first one thing, then another thing, and then the first thing again	To give your body the chance to recover, it’s also best to alternate exercise days with rest days.
beneficial (adj.) – helpful, useful, or good	Scientists have shown that including fish in our diet may be beneficial* in reducing heart disease.*
healthy (adj.) – good for your health	Companies offering products with healthy* ingredients have set the trend in recent years.*
regular (adj.) – happening or doing something often	*Regular* exercise helps you burn calories faster, even when you are sitting still.
briskly (adv.) – in a quick, energetic way	Common examples of aerobic exercise include walking briskly, jogging, running, swimming and cycling.
eliminate (v.) – to remove or take away someone or something	You don’t need to eliminate* all of your favourite foods but do check the ingredients on food labels.*
maintain (v.) – to continue to have; to keep in existence, or not allow to become less	Try to maintain a healthy weight. Being too thin can cause as many health problems as being overweight.
overeat (v.) – to eat more food than your body needs, especially so that you feel uncomfortably full	Skipping meals can lead to the fact that you overeat* as you will be much hungrier later.*
participate (v.) – to take part in or become involved in an activity	Although exercise has become more popular, fewer children participate* in sports than 50 years ago because now they spend too much time playing computer games.*
prevent (v.) – to stop something from happening or someone from doing something	People should find their own motivation to prevent* obesity by being aware of the potentially fatal consequences of their lifestyles*
recommend (v.) – to suggest that someone or something would be good or suitable for a particular job or purpose, or to suggest that a particular action should be done	Leading dietitians recommend* eating plenty of fruit and vegetables.*
skip (v.) – to not do or not have something that you usually do or that you should do; to avoid	I’m trying to lose weight, so I’m skipping* lunch today.*
state (v.) – to say or write something, especially clearly and carefully	The table clearly states* the amount of fat found in commonly used foods.*
stimulate (v.) – to cause part of the body to operate	Caffeine binds to the same receptors, robbing adenosine of the ability to do its job and leaving caffeine free to stimulate* nerve cells.*

In this article, azVocab has compiled and provided you with common vocabulary on the topic of Health and Fitness for the IELTS exam. We hope this is a useful resource for those who are preparing for the IELTS exam. You can explore more common vocabulary on various other topics for the IELTS exam on our blog.

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