Health Patterns across Adulthood: An Age-Based Investigation of the Nutritional Status, Homocysteine, and CoQ10 of Bank Staff

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate age-specific variations in the blood levels of micronutrients, homocysteine, and CoQ10, along with physical activity (PA) patterns, among 123 Austrian adult bankers in operational and frontline roles (mean age: 43 years; 50% female). Methods: Blood analysis was conducted to assess micronutrients and the serum concentrations of homocysteine and CoQ10. The micronutrient values in whole blood were compared to sex-specific reference ranges and categorized as below, within, or above them. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was utilized to assess PA patterns. Participants were classified as young adults (18–34 years), middle-aged adults (35–49 years), and older adults (50–64 years). Results: Significant age-based differences were found in participants’ mean homocysteine levels (p = 0.039) and homocysteine categories (p = 0.034), indicating an increasing prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia with age. No significant difference between age categories was observed for sex, BMI, diet types, PA levels, sedentary behavior, and CoQ10 (p > 0.05). There was no significant age-based difference in the blood concentrations of most minerals and vitamins (p > 0.05), except for magnesium among females (p = 0.008) and copper among males (p = 0.042). Conclusion: The findings offer initial evidence of the age-related differences in the health status of adult bankers, providing insights for customized approaches to occupational health that support the importance of metabolic health and overall well-being across adulthood.

Keywords

• occupation
• homocysteine
• coenzyme Q10
• vitamin
• mineral
• nutrition