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Higher education students participating in outdoor physical activity during a winter field course at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL), Norway. The photograph illustrates physical activity as a natural part of student life and reflects the central theme of the present study. Credit: Michael Grasdalsmoen, CC-BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Infrequent exercise is associated with a higher prevalence of common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety among higher education students in Norway, according to a study published in PLOS ONE by Michael Grasdalsmoen of Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and colleagues. The findings highlight the potential value of consistent physical activity rather than intense, prolonged exercise sessions.

Common mental disorders are leading causes of disability worldwide among young adults. The transition to higher education is a particularly vulnerable period, underscoring the importance of identifying modifiable protective factors during this developmental stage.

Physical inactivity remains pervasive among young adults, even though past research has suggested that regular exercise is associated with better mental health. However, relatively few studies have examined prospective associations between physical exercise and the later development of common mental disorders using standardized diagnostic instruments.

Following students over time

To overcome this limitation, Grasdalsmoen and colleagues conducted a prospective study to examine associations between physical activity and subsequent anxiety and depression.

The participants included in the final analysis were 10,460 full-time Norwegian higher education students ages 18–35. They completed questionnaires that assessed exercise frequency, intensity, duration and total weekly hours at baseline, in addition to a self-administered diagnostic instrument one year later.

Frequency stood out most

The results revealed that lower levels of physical exercise were associated with a higher risk of clinically defined common mental disorders one year later. In particular, associations were more consistent for exercise frequency than for intensity or duration. Low exercise intensity predicted anxiety and depression among women, whereas shorter weekly exercise duration was a stronger risk factor among men.

The probability of common mental disorders declined as the total amount of exercise increased, up to approximately 10 hours per week.

In addition, the study supported meeting the World Health Organization recommendation of at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week.

Exercise as part of student life

Overall, the findings suggest that consistent engagement in exercise, rather than intensity or duration, may be particularly important for curbing anxiety and depression among higher education students.

Although causality cannot be established from the observational study, encouraging regular exercise may represent a beneficial component of broader strategies to support student mental health, especially for individuals with emerging or subthreshold symptoms.

The authors add, "Our findings show that students who engage in regular physical exercise are at lower risk of developing common mental disorders over time. These findings highlight the importance of making physical activity an accessible and natural part of student life."

"Mental health among students is a growing public health concern. Our findings suggest that supporting students to be physically active may contribute to better mental health and should be recognized as an important part of a healthy learning environment."

More information: Grasdalsmoen M, et al. Physical exercise and risk of common mental disorders among higher education students: A national prospective study, PLOS One (2026). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0353787