TY - JOUR AB - Obesity is a chronic, progressive, and relapsing disease that can contribute to morbidity, reduced life expectancy, and adverse health outcomes. The prevalence of obesity increased worldwide in the past 60 years, mainly because of changes in our environment and society. With the technical revolution of the last century, new modes of transportation and working conditions, automatization, and computerization, human energy demands have decreased. In parallel, the availability of energy-dense food, refined carbohydrates, and fat has markedly increased. These developments in society clash with biological factors that predispose humans to the development of obesity. At the individual level, obesity is the result of a long-term imbalance between too much energy consumed and too little energy expended. Therefore, lifestyle and behavior interventions aimed at reducing calorie intake and increasing energy expenditure target the root causes of obesity. However, both at the individual and population level, obesity prevention and treatment strategies that are based only on behavior modification are frequently not successful in the long term. The limited effectiveness of behavior interventions on weight loss are explained by complex and persistent hormonal, metabolic, and neurochemical adaptations that prevent weight loss and promote weight regain. However, behavior interventions lead to important health benefits beyond weight loss and are therefore an integral part of obesity management. This review discusses how a better understanding of the pathophysiology of obesity can influence weight loss strategies through behavioral modification. The complex factors contributing to the development of obesity require a multimodal long-term approach that is based on behavior interventions but may also include pharmacological or surgical approaches. The treatment paradigm has recently shifted from simple weight loss strategies towards treating obesity as a multisystem disease. AU - Blüher, M. C1 - 74934 C2 - 57763 CY - Neumarkter Strasse 43, D-81673 Munich, Germany TI - Understanding the pathophysiology of obesity-the relevance of weight loss strategies through behavior modification. JO - Herz PB - Urban & Vogel PY - 2025 SN - 0340-9937 ER - TY - JOUR AB - Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are closely linked to protein homeostasis (proteostasis) and its failure. Beside genetic mutations that impair cardiac protein quality control, obesity is a strong risk factor for heart disease. In obesity, adipose tissue becomes dysfunctional and impacts heart function and CVD progression by releasing cytokines that contribute to systemic insulin resistance and cardiovascular dysfunction. In addition, chronic inflammation and lipotoxicity compromise endoplasmic reticulum (ER) function, eliciting stress responses that overwhelm protein quality control beyond its capacity. Impairment of proteostasis-including dysfunction of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), autophagy, and the depletion of chaperones-is intricately linked to cardiomyocyte dysfunction. Interventions targeting UPS and autophagy pathways are new potential strategies for re-establishing protein homeostasis and improving heart function. Additionally, lifestyle modifications such as dietary interventions and exercise have been shown to promote cardiac proteostasis and overall metabolic health. The pursuit of future research dedicated to proteostasis and protein quality control represents a pioneering approach for enhancing cardiac health and addressing the complexities of obesity-related cardiac dysfunction. AU - Garcia Guerra, J.F. AU - Matta Pereira, L. AU - Bartelt, A. C1 - 69949 C2 - 55332 CY - Neumarkter Strasse 43, D-81673 Munich, Germany SP - 118-123 TI - Cardiac proteostasis in obesity and cardiovascular disease. JO - Herz VL - 49 IS - 2 PB - Urban & Vogel PY - 2024 SN - 0340-9937 ER -