Ideal Weight Calculator — Find Your Healthy Weight Range
What Is Ideal Weight?
Ideal weight is an estimate of the body weight generally associated with lower health risk for a given height and gender. It's a population-level guideline, not a personal diagnosis — a starting reference point rather than a strict target. Maintaining a weight within a healthy range is associated with a lower risk of several conditions, including:
- Heart disease and high blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Joint strain and mobility issues
- Certain metabolic and hormonal imbalances
How This Calculator Works
Unlike a basic calculator that uses a single formula, this tool calculates your estimated ideal weight using four independent, peer-reviewed medical formulas and shows you all four side by side — plus their average. This gives a more balanced estimate than relying on any one formula alone, since each was developed using different populations and assumptions.
All you need to enter is your height and gender. Current weight and age are optional and only used to show you how your current weight compares to the estimated healthy range.
Understanding the 4 Formulas
| Formula | Year | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|
| Devine | 1974 | Most widely used in clinical and medical dosing contexts |
| Robinson | 1983 | A refinement of Devine using a larger reference population |
| Miller | 1983 | Tends to give slightly higher estimates; useful as an upper reference |
| Hamwi | 1964 | Originally designed for quick bedside estimation by clinicians |
Because these formulas can produce slightly different numbers, we show the full spread rather than picking one — the average across all four tends to be a more stable, realistic estimate than any single formula in isolation.
Example Calculation
For a male, 170 cm tall:
- Height in inches: 170 ÷ 2.54 ≈ 66.9 inches
- Devine: 50 + 2.3 × (66.9 − 60) ≈ 65.9 kg
- Robinson: 52 + 1.9 × (66.9 − 60) ≈ 65.1 kg
- Miller: 56.2 + 1.41 × (66.9 − 60) ≈ 65.9 kg
- Hamwi: 48.08 + 2.72 × (66.9 − 60) ≈ 66.9 kg
Averaging these four gives an estimated ideal weight of roughly 65.9 kg for this example — consistent with the calculator's live output above.
Ideal Weight Chart by Height
For a quick reference without entering any numbers, use the charts below. Each range reflects the average of all four formulas, adjusted ±7% to represent a realistic healthy band rather than one fixed number.
Ideal Weight Chart for Men
| Height | Healthy Weight Range |
|---|---|
| 150 cm (4'11") | 46–53 kg |
| 155 cm (5'1") | 50–57 kg |
| 160 cm (5'3") | 54–62 kg |
| 165 cm (5'5") | 58–66 kg |
| 170 cm (5'7") | 61–71 kg |
| 175 cm (5'9") | 65–75 kg |
| 180 cm (5'11") | 69–79 kg |
| 185 cm (6'1") | 73–84 kg |
| 190 cm (6'3") | 77–88 kg |
| 195 cm (6'5") | 80–93 kg |
| 200 cm (6'7") | 84–97 kg |
Ideal Weight Chart for Women
| Height | Healthy Weight Range |
|---|---|
| 145 cm (4'9") | 40–46 kg |
| 150 cm (4'11") | 43–50 kg |
| 155 cm (5'1") | 47–54 kg |
| 160 cm (5'3") | 50–58 kg |
| 165 cm (5'5") | 54–62 kg |
| 170 cm (5'7") | 57–66 kg |
| 175 cm (5'9") | 61–70 kg |
| 180 cm (5'11") | 64–74 kg |
| 185 cm (6'1") | 68–78 kg |
| 190 cm (6'3") | 71–82 kg |
| 195 cm (6'5") | 75–86 kg |
These charts are population averages. Always use the calculator above for a number personalised to your exact height and gender, and see the frame-size note below.
Does Body Frame Size Matter?
Two people of the same height can have meaningfully different healthy weights depending on skeletal frame size. A simple, commonly used way to estimate frame size is wrist circumference relative to height:
| Frame Size | How to tell (wrist size) | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Wrist feels narrow relative to your height; thumb and finger easily overlap around the wrist | −10% from average |
| Medium | The default assumption used by most formulas | No adjustment |
| Large | Wrist feels broad; thumb and finger don't meet around the wrist | +10% from average |
The calculator above lets you select your frame size, and adjusts the estimated range accordingly.
Why Ideal Weight Matters
- Gives you a practical reference point for weight-loss or weight-gain goals
- Helps contextualise other health metrics like BMI and body fat percentage
- Supports conversations with your doctor or dietitian about realistic targets
- Encourages a long-term view of weight rather than short-term fluctuations
Ideal Weight vs BMI vs Body Fat %: Which Should You Trust?
Each metric answers a slightly different question — using them together gives a far more complete picture than relying on any single number.
| Metric | What it measures | Best used for | Main weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal Weight | A target weight based on height and gender | Quick reference point for goal-setting | Ignores muscle mass and frame entirely |
| BMI | Weight relative to height squared | Population-level screening, tracking trends over time | Can misclassify muscular or very lean individuals |
| Body Fat % | Proportion of body weight that is fat tissue | Most direct measure of "healthy body composition" | Harder to measure accurately without special tools |
In practice, most people get the most useful picture by checking their BMI and body fat percentage alongside their ideal weight estimate, rather than relying on any single number in isolation.
Limitations to Keep in Mind
- Does not account for muscle mass — athletes and muscular individuals often exceed these estimates while remaining healthy
- Does not measure body fat percentage or fat distribution
- Does not adjust for bone density or frame size
- Should be used alongside BMI and body fat measurements, not as a standalone metric
