According to a new study, dining out risks elevated levels of potentially harmful chemicals linked to diseases including cancer in the body.

Phthalates are used to make a range of plastics soft, flexible and durable, from shower curtains to nail polish and moisturizer. They can leach into food from processed materials such as food packaging, takeout boxes, gloves used by servers and processing equipment, and disrupt hormones in the body. A number of studies have linked several specific phthalates to breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and fertility issues.

Researchers at George Washington University and the University of California Berkeley and San Francisco used data from 10,253 participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), collected between 2005 and 2014. They found levels of the chemicals were 35 percent higher in those who regularly ate at restaurants, cafeterias and fast-food places.