Find your ideal body weight range based on your height and gender using four widely-used medical formulas.
An Ideal Weight Calculator estimates a healthy target body weight range based on height and gender, using various established formulas developed over decades of medical and population research. While no single number represents a perfect ideal weight for every individual, this tool provides a useful reference range that many people use as a general goal-setting benchmark alongside other health indicators.
Several formulas are commonly used, including the Devine formula: for men, Ideal Weight (kg) = 50 + 2.3 × (height in inches over 60); for women, Ideal Weight (kg) = 45.5 + 2.3 × (height in inches over 60). Other formulas like Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi use slightly different constants, which is why results can vary somewhat depending on which specific formula is applied.
Enter your height and gender, and the calculator returns an estimated ideal weight, often showing results from multiple formulas side by side along with a broader healthy weight range based on BMI categories for additional context.
Example 1: A man who is 175 cm (approximately 68.9 inches) tall has an estimated ideal weight using the Devine formula of 50 + 2.3 × (68.9 − 60) = 50 + 20.5 ≈ 70.5 kg.
Example 2: A woman who is 165 cm (approximately 65 inches) tall has an estimated ideal weight of 45.5 + 2.3 × (65 − 60) = 45.5 + 11.5 = 57 kg using the same formula.
Why do different ideal weight formulas give different results for the same height? Each formula was developed using different study populations, methodologies, and assumptions decades apart, so while they're all designed to estimate a reasonable healthy weight, the specific constants and calculations differ enough to produce somewhat different numbers for the same input.
Is "ideal weight" the same as a healthy weight for every individual? No, these formulas provide only a general population-based estimate; factors like muscle mass, bone structure, body composition, and individual health status mean that a person's genuinely healthy weight can reasonably differ from the formula-calculated figure, sometimes significantly for very muscular or naturally larger-framed individuals.
How does ideal weight calculation differ from BMI-based healthy weight ranges? Ideal weight formulas typically produce a single target number based on height and gender, while BMI provides a broader healthy weight range (based on the 18.5-24.9 BMI category) for a given height, offering more flexibility than a single fixed target figure.
Should athletes and very muscular individuals use these ideal weight formulas? These formulas were generally developed using average population data and don't account for higher muscle mass, so athletes and bodybuilders often naturally weigh significantly more than the calculated "ideal" while still being at a very healthy body composition and fat percentage.
Why do these formulas typically show a lower ideal weight for women than men at the same height? The formulas reflect average biological differences in body composition between men and women, including differences in typical muscle mass and bone density, which is why the baseline constants and calculations differ between the male and female versions of these formulas.
How should I use an ideal weight calculation result in practice? Treat the result as one general reference point among several, rather than a strict target, combining it with other health indicators like body fat percentage, waist circumference, fitness level, and how you feel overall for a more complete picture of your healthy weight range.
Do these formulas account for age-related changes in healthy weight? Most classic ideal weight formulas don't directly factor in age, though some health guidelines suggest slightly higher healthy weight ranges may be appropriate for older adults, since a small amount of extra weight can sometimes be protective against frailty later in life.
Is it healthy to aggressively pursue reaching a calculated "ideal weight" number? No, aggressively chasing a specific number from a formula, especially through extreme dieting, can be counterproductive and potentially harmful; sustainable, gradual approaches to reaching a healthy weight range, guided by professional advice when needed, are generally recommended over fixating on hitting an exact calculated figure.
How does frame size affect what a healthy weight looks like for a given height? People with larger bone structures naturally carry more weight at the same height compared with someone with a smaller frame, which is one reason wrist circumference or elbow breadth measurements are sometimes used alongside height-based formulas for a more personalized estimate.
Why might a doctor use a different reference range than an online calculator? Clinicians often weigh ideal weight formulas alongside a patient's full medical history, activity level, and specific health conditions, providing more individualized guidance than a generic online calculator can offer based on height and gender alone.
How do these formulas apply to children and teenagers? Classic ideal weight formulas like Devine were developed specifically for adults, so pediatric healthy weight assessment instead relies on age- and sex-specific growth charts and percentiles rather than these adult-oriented formulas.