A new study has linked eating out to higher levels of phthalates, which are chemicals found in plastic linked to hormone disruptions, asthma, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
Phthalates are binding agents found in food packaging, flooring, adhesives, soaps, and shampoos. Some forms of phthalates have been banned in products marketed to children in the U.S.
Burgers and sandwiches were linked to higher phthalate levels if they were bought at a fast-food or sit-down restaurant or café, The Guardian reported. Teens who ate out frequently had 55 percent higher phthalate levels than those who mostly ate at home, according to the study, which analyzed data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from between 2005 and 2014. Adults who ate out the day before had 35 percent higher levels of phthalates, the study said, according to The Guardian.
“This study suggests food prepared at home is less likely to contain high levels of phthalates,” senior study author and George Washington University professor Ami Zota said, The Guardian reported. “Our findings suggest that dining out may be an important and previously under-recognized source of exposure to phthalates for the U.S. population.”
Other studies have shown those who eat fast food often have a 40 percent higher level of phthalates in their bodies than those who rarely do.
The new study's researchers suggested further research is needed to determine how phthalates can be removed from the food supply, Newsweek reported.
“Home-cooked meals can be a good way to reduce sugar, unhealthy fats and salt. And this study suggests it may not have as many harmful phthalates as a restaurant meal,” Zota concluded.
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