Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p> <bold>Purpose</bold> . Dietary habits are a major determinant of prognosis in coronary artery disease (CAD), yet adherence to recommendations remains suboptimal. In Switzerland, dietary patterns differ across linguistic regions, but data from bilingual settings are lacking. This study evaluated the diet quality of patients with CAD in the bilingual setting of the canton of Fribourg, and investigated potential differences between language, recurrence of CAD, sex and smoking status. <bold>Methods</bold> . This monocentric observational study included patients aged 18–75 years with angiographically confirmed CAD. Dietary intake was assessed using the Swiss eFFQ. <bold>Results</bold> . 186 participants were predominantly male (72.6%), with a mean age of 63.5 ± 7.9 years and a mean BMI of 27.4 ± 4.5 kg/m²; 35.5% were current smokers. Overall, dietary intake were suboptimal: low fruit (195 ± 144 g/day) and vegetable (143 ± 77 g/day) intake, low fiber intake (19 ± 8 g/day), and high consumption of meat (103 ± 54 g/day) and bread (96 ± 63 g/day), suggesting excessive sodium intake. No significant differences in dietary intake were observed between French- and German-speaking participants. Similarly, no differences were found between newly diagnosed and recurrent cases. Women reported higher fruit intake (+ 66 g/day, p = 0.005) and lower alcohol consumption (p = 0.001) than men. Current smokers had lower intakes of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fiber compared with former smokers (p < 0.05). <bold>Conclusion</bold> . Diet quality in these patients with CAD was inadequate and not superior to those observed in the general population. Speaking language was not associated with dietary differences. These findings underline the need for more effective nutrition interventions in secondary prevention of CAD. </p>