“…For this reason, mtDNA methylation appears as a promising mediator between environmental exposure (i.e., diet) or metabolic conditions (i.e., obesity) and mitochondrial health. In addition, the blood level of mtDNA copy number (mtDNAcn) has emerged as a promising biomarker, especially in obesity [ 32 , 33 ], metabolic diseases (e.g., type 2 diabetes) [ 34 – 36 ], and CVD [ 37 , 38 ], and clinical interventions have been shown to modulate this parameter [ 39 ]. Despite the link between mtDNA, environmental exposures and complex diseases, and mtDNA's potential role as a biomarker, no previous research projects investigated mtDNAcn in people with increased body weight correlating it with the nutritional status, the abundance of 1CC intermediates, and with mtDNA methylation.…”