For someone 5 foot 1, a BMI of 26 to 27 is linked to healthy outcomes and no extra health risks.

Mortality risk relationship using standard categorized BMI or knee-height based BMI – does the overweight/lower mortality paradox hold true?

·Cohort Study·Human·2024

The study found that older adults (80+) who were overweight had a lower risk of dying than those with normal weight. This supports the idea that a BMI of 26–27 may not be harmful in that group, but the study did not look specifically at people who are 5 foot 1 or at all health outcomes.

The risk of obesity and the association of body mass index on all-cause mortality after cardiac resynchronization therapy

·Cohort Study·Human

In a study of heart failure patients, people with a BMI of 26–27 (overweight) did not have a higher risk of death than normal-weight people; if anything, they had slightly lower risk. But this doesn't prove that a 5'1" person in general is healthy at that BMI, because the study was only in heart failure patients.

Association of metabolomic aging acceleration and body mass index phenotypes with mortality and obesity‐related morbidities

·Cohort Study·Human·2025

The study found that people with a BMI in the overweight range (which includes 26–27) had more health problems and higher death risk than normal-weight people. So it disagrees with the idea that a BMI of 26–27 is healthy and risk-free for someone 5'1".