IELTS essay, topic: Some people think that public health in a country can be improved by government making laws regarding nutritious food (agree/disagree).
Some people think that public health within a country can be improved by government making laws regarding nutritious food. Others, however, think that health is a matter of personal choice and responsibility. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Personal and public health are tightly related to food choices. While some people believe that the government should regulate nutrition to improve public wellness, others argue that it should be people’s decision whether to pursue a healthy diet or not. This essay will discuss both points of view and explain why the authorities should not control the types of food people can buy.
Legislators could impose laws concerning nutritious food in an effort to have a healthier population, public health costs. Even if this could be considered a good idea, it would be very quite difficult to implement. To achieve this target, the rulers could impose a levy on unhealthy food options, or reduce their availability on the grocery stores shelves. In Italy, for example, products such as carbonated sugary drinks and chips are heavily taxed. As a result, the sales of these items have decreased. However, if the authorities start to take control of what their citizens can or cannot eat, it may be seen as limitation of freedom.
Since personal freedom is an extremely important human right, many people think that they should be responsible for their choices regarding the food and drinks they decide to consume. I agree with this opinion because limiting nutritional options, even if it is done with the best outcome in mind, could consequently create dissatisfaction among the population, which would possibly lead to other public issues such as protests and demonstrations. A better approach could be educating the public about a healthy diet, which would help people make better-informed decisions about the food they consume. Many developed countries around the world employed this strategy and saw public health gains.
In conclusion, even though the government is able to control the dietary habits of its population through taxation and restrictions, healthier citizens and reduced public health expenses isn’t the only possible outcome. Limiting personal freedom could result in social unrest and for that reason diet decisions are better to be left up to well-informed individuals.
This response achieved the task requirements by discussing whether the government or individuals should be in control of their diet. The ideas are developed and supported by examples, the information is organised in paragraphs, and coherence is maintained throughout the essay. A range of sentences structures and advanced vocabulary is used in this work. Overall, it seems worthy of IELTS Band 8+.
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