Fifty-one male coal miners between 18 and 65 years old (78% underground and 22% surface miners) completed a self-administered questionnaire. Population and food pattern characteristics were described. Food frequencies were used to obtain a food score which was a weighted average of the frequency of use each month for each food item as determined by the characteristics. Cluster analysis on the food scores were used to identify foods as core, secondary or peripheral foods. Core foods were foods consumed at least ten times in a 28 day period. The food frequencies were used to calculate an estimated daily dietary score for nine nutrients. These scores were compared with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

Thirty-two percent of the miners had worked in the mines longer than 15 years, 80% had a family history of coal mining, 50% were between the ages of 18 and 35, 52% worked the eight a.m. to four p.m. shift, and 63% had an 11-12 grade education.

Eating three times a day was the most frequent eating pattern. When food choices during non-work times were compared to choices when working, the kind and amount of food differed. Time of meals also differed. Analyses of variance indicated that the food scores were significantly different at the .05 level for the type of mining and for income levels; foods scores for education levels, work hours and age characteristics were significantly different at the 0.1 level.

As a group, the miners had a high fat, sodium and protein intake, a medium total carbohydrate intake with a low fiber intake. In order for the miners to meet the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, nutrition educators may need to focus educational programs on the guidelines emphasizing a dietary increase in starch and fiber, a decrease in refined carbohydrate, a decrease in total fat, cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium.