12 Jan 2018 --- The immune system reacts similarly to a high fat and high-calorie diet as to a bacterial infection, according to a study by the University of Bonn. What is particularly disturbing is that unhealthy food seems to make the body's defenses more aggressive in the long term. Even long after switching to a healthy diet, inflammation towards innate immune stimulation is more pronounced, the researchers found. These long-term changes may be involved in the development of arteriosclerosis and diabetes, diseases linked to Western diet consumption. The results are to be published in the journal Cell.