This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of the effect of fast food on lifestyle and diet from the real IELTS exam.

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Dave

IELTS Essay General Training: Strict Teachers

Fast food has become more common in recent years. Some people think that it has a negative effect on lifestyles and diets.

Do you agree or disagree?

Many individuals feel that the widespread proliferation of fast food negatively impacts both lifestyles and eating habits. I am in complete agreement.

Firstly, as a result of fast food consumption, lifestyles are more passive. Before such restaurants, it was more common for consumers to buy raw ingredients and prepare nutritious meals at home. This occurs less often now as fast food offers a cheap, quick alternative. Over time, this can lead to worsening cooking skills and a generally more lethargic lifestyle predicated around ordering meals and watching TV shows and movies. Moreover, the ingredients in fast food are often empty calories that do not provide the vitamins and minerals necessary to support an active lifestyle. A person who eats McDonald’s and KFC most days is more likely to lack energy and be unproductive.

Secondly, fast food is one of the least healthy possible additions to an individual’s diet. Healthy foods tend to be fresh fruits and vegetables and fast food consists largely of preservatives, chemicals and addictive fats, sugars and carbohydrates. Even eating a single fast food meal a day has been shown in numerous independent research studies to increase the risk of diseases ranging from diabetes and cardiovascular disease to cancer and obesity. Fast food companies have recognized this themselves and now offer healthy alternatives such as mini-salads to appeal to an increasingly health conscious public.

In conclusion, the evidence for the negative impact of fast foods is nearly irrefutable as it encourages a more sedentary lifestyle and is high in harmful fats and sugars. Whenever possible, individuals should resist the immediate gratification of fast food.

Analysis

1. Many individuals feel that the widespread proliferation of fast food negatively impacts both lifestyles and eating habits. 2. I am in complete agreement.

1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
2. Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. Firstly, as a result of fast food consumption, lifestyles are more passive. 2. Before such restaurants, it was more common for consumers to buy raw ingredients and prepare nutritious meals at home. 3. This occurs less often now as fast food offers a cheap, quick alternative. 4. Over time, this can lead to worsening cooking skills and a generally more lethargic lifestyle predicated around ordering meals and watching TV shows and movies. 5. Moreover, the ingredients in fast food are often empty calories that do not provide the vitamins and minerals necessary to support an active lifestyle. 6. A person who eats McDonald’s and KFC most days is more likely to lack energy and be unproductive.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it with specific examples.
4. Keep developing it fully.
5. Stay focused on the same main idea.
6. Finish with a strong statement.

1. Secondly, fast food is one of the least healthy possible additions to an individual’s diet. 2. Healthy foods tend to be fresh fruits and vegetables and fast food consists largely of preservatives, chemicals and addictive fats, sugars and carbohydrates. 3. Even eating a single fast food meal a day has been shown in numerous independent research studies to increase the risk of diseases ranging from diabetes and cardiovascular disease to cancer and obesity. 4. Fast food companies have recognized this themselves and now offer healthy alternatives such as mini-salads to appeal to an increasingly health conscious public.

1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
2. Explain your new main idea.
3. Include specific details and examples.
4. Continue developing it fully!

1. In conclusion, the evidence for the negative impact of fast foods is nearly irrefutable as it encourages a more sedentary lifestyle and is high in harmful fats and sugars. 2. Whenever possible, individuals should resist the immediate gratification of fast food.

1. Summarise your main ideas.
2. Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

Many individuals feel that the widespread proliferation of fast food negatively impacts both lifestyles and eating habits. I am in complete agreement.

Firstly, as a result of fast food consumption, lifestyles are more passive. Before such restaurants, it was more common for consumers to buy raw ingredients and prepare nutritious meals at home. This occurs less often now as fast food offers a cheap, quick alternative. Over time, this can lead to worsening cooking skills and a generally more lethargic lifestyle predicated around ordering meals and watching TV shows and movies. Moreover, the ingredients in fast food are often empty calories that do not provide the vitamins and minerals necessary to support an active lifestyle. A person who eats McDonald’s and KFC most days is more likely to lack energy and be unproductive.

Secondly, fast food is one of the least healthy possible additions to an individual’s diet. Healthy foods tend to be fresh fruits and vegetables and fast food consists largely of preservatives, chemicals and addictive fats, sugars and carbohydrates. Even eating a single fast food meal a day has been shown in numerous independent research studies to increase the risk of diseases ranging from diabetes and cardiovascular disease to cancer and obesity. Fast food companies have recognized this themselves and now offer healthy alternatives such as mini-salads to appeal to an increasingly health conscious public.

In conclusion, the evidence for the negative impact of fast foods is nearly irrefutable as it encourages a more sedentary lifestyle and is high in harmful fats and sugars. Whenever possible, individuals should resist the immediate gratification of fast food.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

widespread proliferation more and more common

fast food KFC, McDonald’s, Lotteria, etc.

negatively impacts hurts a lot

lifestyles the way that people life

eating habits diets

I am in complete agreement I 100% agree

firstly the first point is that

as a result of the leads to

consumption eating

passive not active

before such restaurants priorly these establishments

common happens a lot

raw ingredients not yet cooked

prepare nutritious meals make healthy foods

at home in the house

occurs happens

offers makes available

cheap inexpensive

quick alternative fast other option

over time over a period of time

lead to causes

worsening getting worse

cooking skills how good you are at cooking

generally overall

lethargic lazy, passive

predicated around focused on

ordering meals getting food delivered

moreover also

empty calories not nutritious foods

provide give

vitamins health nutrients

minerals healthy parts of foods

support aid

active not passive

most days typically

lack energy feel lazy

unproductive not active

secondly also

least healthy possible additions not a nutritious new food to eat

diet eating habits

tend to be normally

fresh fruits and vegetables apples, oranges, broccoli, onions, etc.

consists largely made up mostly of

preservatives chemicals that keep foods good

chemicals additives in foods

addictive make you want to keep eating them

sugars sweet foods

carbohydrates breads, pasta, rice

single fast food meal a day once a day eating fast food

numerous independent research studies many papers

increase the risk make it more likely

diseases conditions

ranging from including

diabetes disease related to eating too much sugar

cardiovascular disease heart disease

cancer a common disease

obesity being overweight

offer make available

alternatives different options

mini-salads small salads

appeal attract

increasingly health conscious public more and more caring about health

evidence support

nearly irrefutable almost definitely true

encourages motivates

sedentary passive

high elevated

harmful injurious

whenever possible if it can be done

resist hold out

immediate gratification feeling pleasure right away

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

ˈwaɪdsprɛd prəʊˌlɪfəˈreɪʃən 
fɑːst fuːd 
ˈnɛgətɪvli ˈɪmpækts 
ˈlaɪfˌstaɪlz 
ˈiːtɪŋ ˈhæbɪts
aɪ æm ɪn kəmˈpliːt əˈgriːmənt
ˈfɜːstli
æz ə rɪˈzʌlt ɒv 
kənˈsʌm(p)ʃən
ˈpæsɪv
bɪˈfɔː sʌʧ ˈrɛstrɒnts
ˈkɒmən 
rɔː ɪnˈgriːdiənts 
prɪˈpeə nju(ː)ˈtrɪʃəs miːlz 
æt həʊm
əˈkɜːz 
ˈɒfəz 
ʧiːp
kwɪk ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv
ˈəʊvə taɪm
liːd tuː 
ˈwɜːsnɪŋ 
ˈkʊkɪŋ skɪlz 
ˈʤɛnərəli 
lɛˈθɑːʤɪk 
ˈprɛdɪkeɪtɪd əˈraʊnd 
ˈɔːdərɪŋ miːlz 
mɔːˈrəʊvə
ˈɛmpti ˈkæləriz 
prəˈvaɪd 
ˈvɪtəmɪnz 
ˈmɪnərəlz 
səˈpɔːt 
ˈæktɪv 
məʊst deɪz 
læk ˈɛnəʤi 
ˌʌnprəˈdʌktɪv
ˈsɛkəndli
liːst ˈhɛlθi ˈpɒsəbl əˈdɪʃ(ə)nz 
ˈdaɪət
tɛnd tuː biː 
frɛʃ fruːts ænd ˈvɛʤtəb(ə)lz 
kənˈsɪsts ˈlɑːʤli 
prɪˈzɜːvətɪvz
ˈkɛmɪkəlz 
əˈdɪktɪv 
ˈʃʊgəz 
ˈkɑːbəʊˈhaɪdreɪts
ˈsɪŋgl fɑːst fuːd miːl ə deɪ 
ˈnjuːmərəs ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt rɪˈsɜːʧ ˈstʌdiz 
ˈɪnkriːs ðə rɪsk 
dɪˈziːzɪz 
ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frɒm 
ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz 
ˌkɑːdɪəʊˈvæskjʊlə dɪˈziːz 
ˈkænsə 
əʊˈbiːsɪti
ˈɒfə 
ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪvz 
ˈmɪnɪ-ˈsælədz 
əˈpiːl 
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli hɛlθ ˈkɒnʃəs ˈpʌblɪk
ˈɛvɪdəns 
ˈnɪəli ɪˈrɛfjʊtəbl 
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤɪz 
ˈsɛdntəri 
haɪ 
ˈhɑːmfʊl 
wɛnˈɛvə ˈpɒsəbl
rɪˈzɪst 
ɪˈmiːdiət ˌgrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən 

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

Many individuals feel that the w_________________________n of f___________d n___________________s both l____________s and e________________s. I______________________________t.

F__________y, a____________f fast food c_______________n, lifestyles are more p__________e. B________________________s, it was more c_________n for consumers to buy r____________________s and p_________________________s a______________e. This o_________s less often now as fast food o_______s a c________p, q____________________e. O__________e, this can l_________o w_______________________s and a g__________y more l__________c lifestyle p_____________________d o_______________s and watching TV shows and movies. M____________r, the ingredients in fast food are often e________________s that do not p__________e the v___________s and m__________s necessary to s___________t an a________e lifestyle. A person who eats McDonald’s and KFC m____________s is more likely to l______________y and be u_________________e.

S____________y, fast food is one of the l___________________________s to an individual’s d______t. Healthy foods t_____________e f______________________________s and fast food c________________y of p________________s, c_____________s and a___________e fats, s_________s and c__________________s. Even eating a s____________________________y has been shown in n__________________________________s to i_________________k of d_________________________m d____________s and c___________________e to c__________r and o_________y. Fast food companies have recognized this themselves and now o______r healthy a_______________s such as m____________s to a__________l to an i____________________________________c.

In conclusion, the e__________e for the negative impact of fast foods is n____________________e as it e_______________s a more s___________y lifestyle and is h_____h in h__________l fats and sugars. W____________________e, individuals should r__________t the i____________________________n of fast food.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic in the funny video below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahloewentheil/heres-what-your-favorite-fast-food-chains-serve-around-the

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Food

1. What kinds of foods do you like to eat?
2. How different is food in your country today from when you were younger?
3. Which foods do you dislike?
4. What foods do people in your country buy at the market?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:

In many countries, traditional foods are being replaced by fast food. This has a negative impact on families, individuals and society.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Essay: Traditional Foods and Fast Food