What this tool does and when to use it
This calculator shows a realistic weight for your height in pounds or kilograms. It averages four medical formulas (Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi) and puts them next to the healthy BMI range of 18.5 to 24.9. Use it to set a sensible goal before planning weight loss or gain. It ignores muscle, frame size and age, so treat the BMI range as the main guide and the formula average as one point inside it.
How ideal weight is calculated
Ideal body weight formulas were first created to help doctors dose medicines, not to set personal goals. Each starts with a base weight for someone 5 feet (152 cm) tall and adds a fixed amount for every inch above that. They give a single number, which is why it helps to compare several and look at the healthy BMI range too.
| Formula | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Devine (1974) | 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft | 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch |
| Robinson (1983) | 52 kg + 1.9 kg per inch | 49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch |
| Miller (1983) | 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per inch | 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per inch |
| Hamwi (1964) | 48 kg + 2.7 kg per inch | 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch |
Ideal weight chart by height
These figures come straight from this calculator: the average of the four formulas and the healthy BMI range for each height. Heights between rows fall in between.
Women
| Height | Formula average | Healthy BMI range |
|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 0 in (152 cm) | 106 lb (48.3 kg) | 95 to 127 lb (43.0 to 57.8 kg) |
| 5 ft 2 in (157 cm) | 115 lb (52.1 kg) | 101 to 136 lb (45.9 to 61.8 kg) |
| 5 ft 3 in (160 cm) | 119 lb (53.9 kg) | 104 to 141 lb (47.4 to 63.8 kg) |
| 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) | 123 lb (55.8 kg) | 108 to 145 lb (48.9 to 65.8 kg) |
| 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) | 127 lb (57.7 kg) | 111 to 150 lb (50.4 to 67.9 kg) |
| 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | 131 lb (59.6 kg) | 115 to 154 lb (52.0 to 70.0 kg) |
| 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | 136 lb (61.5 kg) | 118 to 159 lb (53.6 to 72.1 kg) |
| 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | 140 lb (63.4 kg) | 122 to 164 lb (55.2 to 74.3 kg) |
Men
| Height | Formula average | Healthy BMI range |
|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | 141 lb (64.0 kg) | 115 to 154 lb (52.0 to 70.0 kg) |
| 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | 150 lb (68.2 kg) | 122 to 164 lb (55.2 to 74.3 kg) |
| 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | 155 lb (70.2 kg) | 125 to 169 lb (56.8 to 76.5 kg) |
| 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | 159 lb (72.3 kg) | 129 to 174 lb (58.5 to 78.7 kg) |
| 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | 164 lb (74.4 kg) | 133 to 179 lb (60.2 to 81.0 kg) |
| 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | 169 lb (76.5 kg) | 136 to 184 lb (61.9 to 83.3 kg) |
| 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | 178 lb (80.6 kg) | 144 to 194 lb (65.4 to 88.0 kg) |
The BMI range is the same for men and women of the same height, while the formulas give men a higher base weight. That is why a 5 ft 6 in man's formula average (141 lb) sits about 10 lb above a woman's of the same height (131 lb).
Why a range beats a single number
Frame size, muscle, age and where you carry weight all change what is healthy for you. Two people of the same height can both be healthy at weights 10 kg apart. The healthy BMI range of 18.5 to 24.9 captures that spread, which is why most doctors use it rather than one exact target.
Next steps
Once you have a target, see how long it will take with the weight loss calculator, find your daily needs with the calorie calculator, and check your body composition with the body fat calculator, which says more about health than weight alone.
Sources: Devine BJ, Drug Intell Clin Pharm 1974; Robinson JD et al., Am J Hosp Pharm 1983; Miller DR et al., Am J Hosp Pharm 1983; Hamwi GJ, 1964; WHO BMI classification.
