Plodding joggers tend to live longer than faster runners, research shows.

The study compared the records of over 1,000 men and women joggers with almost 4,000 matched controls who said they did not engage in exercise.

Unsurprisingly joggers tended to live longer than the people who didn’t exercise.  But when the researchers broke down the time spent jogging and pace, there were some unexpected findings.

The ideal amount of jogging for prolonged life was between 1 hour and 2.4 hours each week, the study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed. And the ideal pace was slow. Plodders tended to live longer than runners, who had a similar life expectancy to people who did no exercise.

When prescribing exercise to improve longevity, strenuous exercise is not necessary and might reduce the health benefits of light to moderate physical activity, the researchers conclude.