One height, several answers
There is no single ideal weight for a height. Over the years, doctors and researchers have published several formulas that estimate one, mostly to help with medicine doses, and they give slightly different answers. Seeing them side by side is more honest than picking one.
This ideal weight calculator shows the Devine, Robinson and Hamwi formulas for your sex and height, their average, and the healthy weight range from the BMI categories. Treat the formulas as a rough middle point and the BMI range as the wider picture.
How to use it
- Choose metric or US units.
- Pick your sex, because the formulas start from different base weights.
- Enter your height.
- Read the average of the three formulas, each formula on its own line, and the healthy BMI range for your height.
The ideal body weight formulas
Devine (1974): men 50 kg, women 45.5 kg, plus 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft
Robinson (1983): men 51.65 kg + 1.85 kg, women 48.67 kg + 1.65 kg, per inch over 5 ft
Hamwi (1964): men 106 lb + 6 lb, women 100 lb + 5 lb, per inch over 5 ftEvery formula starts at 5 feet and adds a set amount for each inch above it, so they are only used for heights of 5 ft (152.4 cm) and over. The Robinson figures are from the original paper. A review of these formulas found they can differ by up to 14% for men and 19% for women, which is why the calculator shows all three and their average.
Worked example: a man 180 cm tall
180 cm is 70.87 inches, which is 10.87 inches over 5 feet.
- Devine: 50 + 2.3 × 10.87 = 75 kg
- Robinson: 51.65 + 1.85 × 10.87 = 71.8 kg
- Hamwi: 106 + 6 × 10.87 = 171.2 lb, which is 77.7 kg
- Average of the three: 74.8 kg
The formulas land between 71.8 and 77.7 kg, around an average of 74.8 kg. The healthy BMI range for the same height is wider: 59.9 kg to 80.7 kg, using the CDC's adult BMI categories.
Ideal weight chart
| Height | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 0 in | 102.5 lb (46.5 kg) | 110 lb (49.9 kg) |
| 5 ft 4 in | 120.8 lb (54.8 kg) | 130.2 lb (59.1 kg) |
| 5 ft 8 in | 139.1 lb (63.1 kg) | 150.4 lb (68.2 kg) |
| 6 ft 0 in | 157.4 lb (71.4 kg) | 170.6 lb (77.4 kg) |
| 6 ft 4 in | 175.6 lb (79.7 kg) | 190.8 lb (86.6 kg) |
What these numbers leave out
- Frame and muscle. None of the formulas look at frame size or muscle, so a strong, broad person may sit well above them and be perfectly healthy.
- Age. They were not built for older adults, children or teenagers.
- Their purpose. They were mostly made to estimate doses of medicine, not as weight goals.
- The bigger picture. Waist size, activity, diet and blood tests say far more about health. The BMI chart shows the full healthy range at every height.
Frequently asked questions
What is my ideal weight for my height?
It depends on the formula, so a range is more honest than one number. Enter your sex and height above to see the Devine, Robinson and Hamwi results and their average, plus the healthy BMI range for your height. Most people are healthy anywhere within that BMI range.
What is the Devine formula?
Published in 1974, the Devine formula estimates ideal body weight as 50 kg for men or 45.5 kg for women, plus 2.3 kg for every inch over 5 feet. It was designed to help work out medicine doses and is still widely used for that. It is the first formula listed in the calculator.
Why do the formulas give different answers?
They were built at different times from different data, mostly old height and weight tables, and each uses its own starting weight and amount per inch. A review found the results can differ by up to 14% for men and 19% for women. Their average is a reasonable middle point.
Does the ideal weight calculator work if I am under 5 feet?
The three formulas only apply from 5 feet, so for shorter heights the calculator shows the healthy BMI range on its own. That range is worked out the same way at every height, from the CDC adult BMI categories, so it still gives you a useful guide.
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