Olympic medallists live longer than the rest of the population, according to results from a new study.

Australian researchers compared life expectancy among 15,174 Olympic athletes who won medals between 1896 and 2010 with general population groups matched by country, sex and age.

Whether they won gold, silver or bronze the medallists lived an average 2.8 years longer, a statistically significant survival advantage in eight of the nine countries studied.

The research did not examine why Olympic athletes lived longer but study authors suggested physical activity, genetic factors, healthy lifestyle, and the wealth and status that come from international sporting glory could contribute.

A second study examined the variations of increased life expectancy among different sports and found in most cases there was little difference.

Athletes from low cardiovascular intensity sports such as golf or cricket had just as much advantage as those who did high intensity sports like rowing or cycling.

Athletes from high contact elite sports, like boxing, rugby and ice hockey, did not experience the same benefits to life expectancy.