Abstract
BACKGROUND: A low level of health literacy contributes to the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in Africa. In addition, the management of cardiovascular diseases is hampered by poor access to quality healthcare hence the importance of primary prevention. The aim of this literature review was to identify good health behaviors to be adopted by individuals to prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease. RESULTS: A total of 25 review articles were selected from Google scholar, Science Direct, PubMed and American heart association journals. The screening and effective treatment of dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity are essential means of preventing cardiovascular diseases. The lifestyle behaviors identified and their associated reduction of cardiovascular risk are respectively, not smoking (36 to 71%); a healthy diet (11 to 59%) which consisting of regular consumption of fruit and vegetables, wholegrain cereals, polyunsaturated fatty acids and nuts, and chicken or fish instead of red meat; reducing alcohol consumption to one glass a day (10 to 23%), regular moderate to intense physical activity lasting at least 2.5 h a week( 10 to 28%), reduction of salt consumption (23%) while sleep duration of ≤ 5 h and ≥ 9 h can double cardiovascular risk. When combined, these behavioral protective factors potentiate each other and cardiovascular risk reduction can reach 70–90%. CONCLUSION: The adoption of health-care behaviors such as screening, early treatment and a healthy lifestyle including diet and physical activity reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12872-025-05345-9.