Ideal Weight Calculator
Estimate ideal weight using a standard clinical formula.
What 'ideal weight' really means
Ideal body weight formulas were originally written to help clinicians dose medication, not to tell anyone what to weigh. They give a single reference figure from height and sex. This calculator uses the Devine formula, the most widely cited of them, and the result is best read as the centre of a healthy range rather than a target to hit exactly.
How to use the Ideal Weight Calculator
- Choose your Sex.
- Enter your Height (cm).
- Read the reference weight in kilograms.
- Treat roughly ±10% around it as a normal healthy spread.
Formula and a worked example
Men: 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft
Women: 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft
Height above 152.4 cm (5 feet) is converted to inches and each inch adds 2.3 kg. The formula ignores frame size, muscle mass and age entirely, which is exactly why it should not be treated as a personal goal.
Worked example
A woman of 165 cm is about 5 inches over five feet, so 45.5 + (5 × 2.3) = 57 kg. A man of the same height comes to 61.5 kg. Anywhere from about 51 to 63 kg would be unremarkable for that woman depending on build.
Frequently asked questions
Is ideal weight the same as a healthy weight?
No. A healthy weight is a range, not a point. Devine gives one number from height alone, so use it as a reference and check BMI and body fat too.
Why do men and women get different results?
Men typically carry more lean mass at the same height, so the base figure is 4.5 kg higher.
Does the formula account for muscle?
No. A muscular athlete will often sit well above their calculated ideal weight and be perfectly healthy.
Which formula does this use?
Devine (1974). Robinson, Miller and Hamwi are alternatives and give results within a few kilograms of each other.
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