🏆 Health

Ideal Weight Calculator

Four clinically published formulas give slightly different answers — seeing them together is far more useful than any single number. Enter your height and press Calculate.

Written and reviewed by SM Arijul Islam · Last reviewed · Editorial standards · Report an error

The four formulas

  • Devine (1974): 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft (men) · 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch (women)
  • 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

All four were designed for medical dosing and use inches over five feet. The BMI-based range of 18.5 to 24.9 is usually the fairest target for the general population.

"Ideal" weight depends on muscle mass, bone density, age and health history. Treat this as a range, not a target, and consult a professional for personal advice.

Worked example

At a height of 1.75 m, the Devine formula gives men about 70.5 kg and women about 66.0 kg, while the Robinson and Miller formulas land within a few kilograms of those figures.

Everyday uses

  • A clinical reference point for medication dosing
  • Setting a target range rather than a single number
  • Comparing the well-known clinical formulas
  • Understanding why published 'ideal' weights differ
  • Context for a BMI reading

Frequently asked questions

They were derived from different insurance and clinical datasets, so each gives a slightly different reference weight for the same height.
A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 corresponds to a range of weights, which is usually more useful than any single ideal figure.
No. It is a rough clinical reference, not a personalised goal, and it ignores body composition.
None on its own. Treat them as a cluster of estimates and discuss anything important with a health professional.

More worked examples

  • A 175 cm man has a Devine ideal weight of about 70.5 kg, from 50 kg plus 2.3 kg for each of the 8.9 inches over five feet.
  • A 160 cm woman has a Devine ideal weight of about 52.4 kg, from 45.5 kg plus 2.3 kg for the 3 inches over five feet.
  • A healthy BMI range of 18.5 to 24.9 at 175 cm works out at 56.7 to 76.3 kg.
  • Robinson's formula gives a slightly lower figure than Devine for men of the same height.

Healthy weight range by height

Healthy weight range for a given height, based on a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9
HeightBMI 18.5 to 24.9
150 cm41.6 to 56.0 kg
160 cm47.4 to 63.7 kg
170 cm53.5 to 72.0 kg
175 cm56.7 to 76.3 kg
180 cm59.9 to 80.7 kg

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Treating an ideal weight as a single correct number. There is a healthy range, and a single target figure invites unnecessary anxiety.
  • Applying these formulas to athletes, pregnant people, children or older adults, where they are not valid.
  • Confusing ideal body weight with lean body mass. The formulas estimate a total weight, not muscle alone.
  • Ignoring frame size, muscle mass and ethnicity, all of which shift what a healthy weight looks like for an individual.

Further questions

A 1974 equation built for clinical drug dosing, which estimates a body weight that approximates normal metabolism. It was later borrowed for the popular idea of ideal weight.
They were derived from different populations and designed for different purposes, so they disagree by a few kilograms even at the same height.
Both are rough population tools. Neither replaces an assessment by a clinician, who can account for body composition and health history.
For most adults, 18.5 to 24.9. Athletes with high muscle mass are a common exception.

Sources and limits

The Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi formulas were developed as clinical estimating tools, originally for drug dosing and population reference. They produce a range, not a target, and none accounts for body composition, frame size, age or ethnicity. The healthy BMI range above is the broader check.

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