Ideal Weight Calculator
Find your ideal body weight for your height using four popular formulas and the healthy BMI range.
How to use the Ideal Weight Calculator
- Choose metric or US units and select your sex.
- Enter your height.
- Press the Calculate button.
- Compare the results from the Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi formulas with the healthy BMI range.
- Use the range as a guide, not a strict target, and ask your doctor for personal advice.
Ideal Weight Calculator: What Should You Weigh for Your Height?
Quick answer: there is no single perfect weight. A common way to estimate a healthy range is the BMI method, which gives about 43 to 58 kg for someone who is 152 cm (5 ft 0 in) tall and about 62 to 83 kg for someone who is 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) tall. Ideal weight formulas give a single number inside or near those ranges.
What Is Ideal Body Weight?
Ideal body weight (IBW) is an estimate of the weight that suits a person of a given height and sex. Many of us picture an “ideal” weight based on what we see in the media, but the formulas behind IBW were never about appearance. They were created to help doctors calculate medicine doses, because how the body handles some drugs depends more on ideal weight than on total weight. Today IBW is also used in sport, where many events are grouped by body weight.
IBW is a reference point and not a goal you have to reach. It ignores your muscle, fat and bone, so a fit, healthy athlete can be “overweight” by an IBW formula, and a person can be above or below their IBW and still be perfectly healthy.
The Four Most Common Ideal Weight Formulas
The popular formulas all follow the same pattern: they start with a base weight for a person who is 5 feet (60 inches) tall, then add a set amount of weight for each inch above 5 feet. They differ only in the numbers each researcher chose.
| Formula | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Hamwi (1964) | 48.0 kg + 2.7 kg per inch over 5 ft | 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch over 5 ft |
| Devine (1974) | 50.0 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft | 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft |
| Robinson (1983) | 52.0 kg + 1.9 kg per inch over 5 ft | 49.0 kg + 1.7 kg per inch over 5 ft |
| Miller (1983) | 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per inch over 5 ft | 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per inch over 5 ft |
The Hamwi and Devine formulas were first designed for drug dosing. The Devine formula is the most widely used, and Robinson and Miller are modified versions of it.
Ideal Weight Calculator Examples
A man who is 5 ft 10 in (178 cm). He is 10 inches over 5 feet.
| Formula | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Hamwi | 48 + 2.7 × 10 | 75.0 kg |
| Devine | 50 + 2.3 × 10 | 73.0 kg |
| Robinson | 52 + 1.9 × 10 | 71.0 kg |
| Miller | 56.2 + 1.41 × 10 | 70.3 kg |
| Healthy BMI range | 18.5 to 24.9 × 1.78² | 58.5 to 78.7 kg |
A woman who is 5 ft 5 in (165 cm). She is 5 inches over 5 feet.
| Formula | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Hamwi | 45.5 + 2.2 × 5 | 56.5 kg |
| Devine | 45.5 + 2.3 × 5 | 57.0 kg |
| Robinson | 49 + 1.7 × 5 | 57.5 kg |
| Miller | 53.1 + 1.36 × 5 | 59.9 kg |
| Healthy BMI range | 18.5 to 24.9 × 1.65² | 50.4 to 67.8 kg |
The formulas land within a few kilograms of one another, while the BMI method gives a much wider range. That wider range is closer to reality, because healthy bodies vary a great deal.
Ideal Weight by Height Chart
Here are Devine results and the healthy BMI range for common heights:
| Height | Devine, men | Devine, women | Healthy BMI range (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 0 in (152 cm) | 50.0 kg | 45.5 kg | 43.0 to 57.8 |
| 5 ft 2 in (157 cm) | 54.6 kg | 50.1 kg | 45.9 to 61.8 |
| 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) | 59.2 kg | 54.7 kg | 48.9 to 65.8 |
| 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | 63.8 kg | 59.3 kg | 52.0 to 70.0 |
| 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | 68.4 kg | 63.9 kg | 55.2 to 74.3 |
| 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | 73.0 kg | 68.5 kg | 58.5 to 78.7 |
| 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | 77.6 kg | 73.1 kg | 61.9 to 83.3 |
| 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | 82.2 kg | 77.7 kg | 65.4 to 88.0 |
Healthy Weight Using the BMI Range
Another way to find a healthy weight is to use the World Health Organization’s healthy BMI range of 18.5 to 24.9 for adults, which is the same for men and women. Multiply the two ends of the range by your height in metres squared.
Check your own BMI with our BMI calculator. Some guidelines use lower cut-offs for people of Asian descent, so ask your doctor which range suits you.
What Affects Your Ideal Weight?
Age
After the teenage growth years (around 14 to 15 for girls and 16 to 17 for boys) age has little effect on the formulas. In real life, though, people tend to lose muscle and gain fat as they get older, and some lose a little height. Staying active, eating well, sleeping enough and managing stress can slow this down.
Sex
Women usually weigh less than men, even though they naturally carry more body fat. Men tend to have more muscle, denser bones and greater height.
Height
Taller people have more muscle, bone and body fat, so they weigh more. A man and a woman of the same height will often differ in weight by roughly 10% to 20%.
Body frame size
People with a small, medium or large frame carry different amounts of bone and muscle. A large-framed person will naturally weigh more than a small-framed person of the same height. Frame size is estimated from wrist circumference compared with height:
| Height (women) | Small frame | Medium frame | Large frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 ft 2 in | Wrist under 5.5 in | 5.5 to 5.75 in | Over 5.75 in |
| 5 ft 2 in to 5 ft 5 in | Wrist under 6 in | 6 to 6.25 in | Over 6.25 in |
| Over 5 ft 5 in | Wrist under 6.25 in | 6.25 to 6.5 in | Over 6.5 in |
| Height (men) | Small frame | Medium frame | Large frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 5 ft 5 in | Wrist 5.5 to 6.5 in | 6.5 to 7.5 in | Over 7.5 in |
Muscle, fat distribution and health
Muscle weighs more than fat for the same volume, so a muscular person can sit above their ideal weight and still be healthy. Where you carry fat also matters: belly fat is linked to more health risk than fat on the hips and thighs. Medical conditions and some medicines can affect weight too.
Ideal Weight for Children and Teenagers
All the formulas above are for adults aged 18 and over. For children and teenagers, doctors use BMI-for-age growth charts from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A BMI between the 5th and 85th percentile for their age and sex is considered healthy. A paediatrician can plot your child’s measurements on the right chart.
Ideal Weight, Pregnancy and Trying to Conceive
Ideal weight formulas are not meant for pregnancy. Your weight is expected to rise to support your baby, and the right amount depends on your starting BMI. If you are pregnant, follow your doctor or midwife’s advice on healthy weight gain, and use our pregnancy calculator to follow your weeks.
If you are planning to conceive, a healthy weight before pregnancy can support regular ovulation and a healthier pregnancy. Talk to your doctor before making big changes, avoid crash diets and don’t try to lose weight once you are pregnant unless advised.
Limitations of Ideal Weight Formulas
- They use only height and sex, and ignore age, activity, muscle and body fat.
- They don’t account for disabilities or people at the very tall or very short ends of the range.
- They were designed for drug dosing, not to define health or beauty.
- Different formulas give different answers for the same person.
Use the results as a general guide. Waist size, body fat percentage, blood pressure and blood tests tell you more about your health than a single number.
Why Healthy Habits Matter More Than a Target Weight
No formula can say exactly what you should weigh to be healthy. It is more useful to focus on habits you can keep up: regular exercise, a varied diet of mostly unprocessed foods, enough sleep and low stress. If you do want to lose or gain weight, aim for gradual change and check with your doctor first.
Ideal Weight Calculator FAQs
What is my ideal weight?
It depends on your height, sex, frame and body composition. Use the formulas for a single estimate and the BMI range for a healthy span.
Which ideal weight formula is the most accurate?
None is perfectly accurate. Devine is the most widely used, but comparing several formulas and the BMI range gives a better picture.
Is ideal weight the same as healthy weight?
Not exactly. Ideal weight is a single formula result, while a healthy weight is a range that also depends on your body composition and health.
Why do the formulas give different results?
Each researcher used different base weights and increments, so the results differ by a few kilograms.
Does ideal weight change with age?
The formulas don’t change with age, but your body composition does, so doctors consider age when judging a healthy weight.
Can an athlete be overweight by these formulas?
Yes. Muscle is heavy, so very fit people can be above their ideal weight while having low body fat.
Can I use this calculator during pregnancy?
No. Pregnancy changes your weight and shape, so follow your doctor’s advice instead.
Can I use it for my child?
No. Children need BMI-for-age percentile charts.
Final Thoughts
An ideal weight calculator can give you a helpful starting point, but it is only a guideline. Look at the range from several formulas, pay attention to how you feel and your waist size, and talk to a doctor about what is right for you.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for general information and education only. It is not medical advice or a diagnosis. Ideal weight formulas are estimates and do not show whether you are healthy.
Please speak to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing your diet or exercise routine, especially if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, under 18 or have a medical condition.