Runners, who made up just under a quarter of the study population, had a 30 per cent lower risk of death from all causes and a 45 per cent lower risk of death from heart disease or stroke than non-runners. They also lived an average three years longer.
Running for less than 51 minutes a week - or about seven minutes a day - fewer than six miles, or slower than six miles an hour all reduced the chances of dying.
Those who ran for less than an hour a week benefitted as much as those running more than three hours a week.
Lead scientist Dr Duck-Chul Lee, from Iowa State University, said: 'Since time is one of the strongest barriers to participate in physical activity, the study may motivate more people to start running and continue to run as an attainable health goal for mortality benefits.
'Running may be a better exercise option than more moderate intensity exercises for healthy but sedentary people.
'[This is because] it produces similar, if not greater, mortality benefits in five to 10 minutes, compared to the 15 to 20 minutes per day of moderate intensity activity that many find too time consuming.'
Study participants who ran regularly for an average of six years experienced the biggest benefit, the researchers found. Their risk of death from heart disease or stroke was reduced by 50 per cent.
The findings are published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Commenting on the study, Christopher Allen, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: 'Protecting ourselves against life-changing conditions like a heart attack or stroke should be everyone’s top priority.
'But the reality is not everyone is managing to achieve their 150 minutes of physical activity a week.
