Mar 16, 2014 07:31 PM EDT By Jaleesa Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

People who are frequently exposed to take-out food restaurant s around their home, at work and on their way to work are more likely to consume these foods, as well as being more likely to be obese, according to a recent study published on bmj.com.

In the past decade, consumption of food away from home in the United Kingdom has risen by 29 percent while the number of takeaways has increased dramatically. This, the researchers say, could be contributing to rising levels of overweight and obesity, according to a press release.

For the study, researchers from the University of Cambridge examined data from the Fenland Study - a population based cohort study of adults aged 29 to 62 in 2011, in Cambridgeshire, UK, conducted by the MRC Epidemiology Unit - to determine the extent to which exposure to takeaway food outlets in home and non-home environments was associated with eating takeaway foods, BMI and likelihood of being overweight or obese. Data on 10,452 participants were available, with 5,442 participants eligible for their study. Only adults working outside the home were included.

Based on their results, individuals were exposed to 48 percent more takeaway outlets than at home. The average exposure combining home and work neighborhoods and commuting routes was 32 outlets. They also found that the most exposed group of people consumed an additional 5.7 grams per day compared with the least exposed group.

Although the study did not prove a causal link between environment and obesity, researchers found an "environmental contribution to the consumption of takeaway foods, and especially to body mass index and the odds of being obese," Reuters reported.

Researchers suggest that policies designed to improve diets through restricting takeaway food availability would be most effective if focused around workplaces.

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