Kahlon says the research supports the 'obesity paradox' - that in some circumstances being obese may be better for your health, even though obesity is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, death and catching infections like pneumonia.
"The thinking usually is obesity equals bad and this research demonstrated something different. It shows that perhaps we're not looking at obesity in the right way. Is all fat bad? Is all fat equal? For acute illnesses, maybe we're not looking at the right indicators for body mass index and obesity."
Kahlon says previous studies have demonstrated the 'obesity paradox' in relation to chronic diseases, but this is one of a handful of studies to demonstrate the link with acute medical conditions. In the study, she notes obese patients may have had better survival rates because they had more nutritional reserves.
"It might be a misregulation of the inflammatory system that allows these individuals to do better," she says. "These mechanisms still need to be better studied."
She noted physicians may need to adjust prescriptions or care for obese patients hospitalized with pneumonia - to better meet their medical needs.
Former Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry Dean Tom Marrie was part of the research team and found the patients to take part in the study.
Source: Eurekalert