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Heading off to college is a major step in life.

Young adults, often still in their late teens, move away from the guidance and protection of their parents for the first time. They meet strangers who will become friends for life.

They make decisions about important things like where they will live and what their career path will be. They may even find their life partner.

One decision that’s often underestimated is nutrition.

With a dining hall stocked with a wide selection of food, it’s taken for granted that students on a meal plan will have plenty of choices. But will those choices be healthy ones?

Too often, they are not. Many college freshmen overeat or make bad food choices, trying to feed their cravings rather than their bodies. It all adds up to the famed “freshman 15.”

And it can affect their performance in the classroom.

Research has shown that students are able to learn better when they’re well nourished. Eating healthy meals has been linked to higher grades, faster information processing and better memory and alertness.

In addition, various studies show a direct link between mental health and nutrition. And mental health appears to be a pervasive problem on college campuses.

According to a national survey called the Healthy Minds Study, 41 percent of students reported symptoms of depression, 36 percent reported feelings of anxiety and 14 percent reported suicidal ideation. While not all are linked to food choices, there’s little doubt among nutritionists that the lack of a healthy diet plays a major role.

Finally, poor food choices in college can lead to issues later in life.

A University of British Columbia study warns that unhealthy dietary habits formed during a person’s college years may lead to significant health problems later in life, including obesity, respiratory diseases and depression.

A typical student diet of high-sugar or high-calorie foods can become a long-term issue as these habits can lead to obesity. Researchers say there is evidence to show that stress and anxiety can cause overeating, but overeating can also lead to stress and depression.

“It is well documented that a significant portion of students have unhealthy diets,” Dr. Joan Bottorff said in the study.

Then there is the opposite problem — students not on college food plans, who struggle to afford basic nutrition. Area colleges, including Bridgewater State University, Wheaton College in Norton, Bristol Community College in Attleboro and Fall River, and Dean College in Franklin, are, luckily, part of a growing number of higher education institutions that are working to ensure food is available to the many students who are suffering financially.

As noted in today’s front-page story by veteran reporter Stephen Peterson, there are many food-related resources at local colleges, and we urge students to take advantage of them.

Students must take full advantage of their opportunities at college to prepare for their futures, and to do that they need the proper nutrition.

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