Leila Nabavi

Case Study: Inactive Brains

Part II
1) Obesity is an epidemic for many reasons, but I believe the primary reason is due to the
many processed, “junk” foods provided for children, and lack of whole foods. For
example, sugar (albeit not good to eat in the first place) has been replaced with large
quantities of high fructose corn syrup. Snacks like Kool-Aid, Cheezits, Poptarts, Frosted
Flakes, etc. are what children are fed on a daily basis at school and at home, and all are
filled with processed sugars, corn syrup, and fake/preserved flavors to replace the real
stuff. Not to mention, with technology becoming ever so entwined in our daily lives,
children (and adults) are no longer going outside and exerting themselves with physical
activity to pass the time. This lack of exercise combined with the mass quantities of
poorly nutritious food are the primary reasons that have led to childhood obesity.
2) Obesity and Type II diabetes are very strongly correlated, as many studies have shown
that obesity is a large factor that leads to diabetes, by causing the mass amounts of bad
food to cause issues with insulin production. We also know that processed, high in fat,
poorly nutritious food can lead to diseases of the arteries because large lipid content
can cause clogged arteries and serious heart disease. Again, poor nutrition and large
quantities of junk food can lead to many diseases Mark mentioned.
3) I believe the individual is mostly at fault, but the society is definitely not innocent either.
Of course, we as individuals should be responsible with our bodies and treat them well
to the best of our abilities. However, if a child, for example, comes from an economically
disadvantaged family whose parents cannot afford whole foods, they might be inclined
to only eat the food provided to them at school. This is where society comes in. If the
school provides the child with healthy, whole foods, at least the child is eating one less
fast-food meal that could lead to so many severe health conditions.
4) Physical Education (PE) classes that offer rigorous exercises is a great place to start. The
community can even put into place a community garden, where people can not only get
physical exercise by gardening, but can enjoy the healthy fruit of their labor for little to
no cost. The schools should also offer healthy, whole foods to students.

Part IV
1) I would vote to use the money towards science. Like Chris, I think promoting physical
exercise is possible to do without money, but with motivation. However, that can’t be
said to study science and why exercise is so crucial. Or the school could kill two birds
with one stone and set up a school garden with the money, where students can sweat
and move while gardening, and also study botany and agriculture through their
produce.
2) The PE classes could suffer. Sure, people can be more motivated to move if they have
good equipment like weights, for example, but the world can be your gym if you know
how to use it right.
3) I believe the title is a funny play on words because an inactive brain can suggest that it is
the brain of a person who does not do any physical activity (because they do not have
proper exercise and PE classes) or a brain that is inactive because it is not being
stretched in the classroom, studying science and other important subjects.