Table 2 Association between physical exercise and self-reported depression in male and female university and college students in the SHoT study, Norway, 2018

Never

2.58

3.46

2.15

2.98

Less than once a week

1.77

2.20

1.50

1.91

Once a week

1.35

1.67

1.27

1.59

2–3 times per week

1.02

1.22

0.99

1.20

Almost every day

–

–

–

–

Physical exercise intensity

I take it easy without breaking into a sweat or losing my breath

1.37

1.79

1.27

1.69

I push myself so hard that I lose my breath and break into a sweat

0.83

1.06

0.81

1.05

I push myself to near-exhaustion

–

–

–

–

Less than 15 min

1.84

2.84

1.68

2.73

15–29 min

1.48

1.84

1.39

1.77

30 min to 1 h

1.03

1.20

1.01

1.20

More than 1 h

–

–

–

–

Never

3.88

6.09

3.19

5.20

Less than once a week

2.40

3.56

2.09

3.18

Once a week

1.56

2.39

1.49

2.34

2–3 times per week

1.26

1.81

1.20

1.76

Almost every day

–

–

–

–

I take it easy without breaking into a sweat or losing my breath

1.58

2.41

1.47

2.33

I push myself so hard that I lose my breath and break into a sweat

0.84

1.21

0.86

1.28

I push myself to near-exhaustion

–

–

–

–

Less than 15 min

1.88

3.79

1.61

3.45

15–29 min

1.81

2.70

1.82

2.78

30 min to 1 h

1.12

1.48

1.11

1.49

More than 1 h

–

–

–

–