Ideal Body Weight

What is your ideal weight? There is no single "perfect" number that suits everyone, but a few well-established methods can give you a healthy target range for your height.

The quickest is Body Mass Index (BMI): our ideal body weight calculator below returns an instant BMI-based range for men and women, and the comprehensive chart further down lets you look up your height and read across to your minimum and maximum suggested weight. Below the chart we also explain the classic clinical formulas — Devine, Hamwi, Robinson, Miller and Broca — along with the other factors that shift your ideal weight, such as body frame size and age. Find your height in the left column of the table for the weight in kilograms; there is a similar table that gives your weight in pounds.

Understanding BMI Ranges & Ideal Body Weight Definition

A BMI of between 20 and 25 is considered to be an ideal weight. The ideal body weight definition represents the optimal weight range for health outcomes based on your height. You can use this table to determine your acceptable weight range for your height (in cm), by finding the weight corresponding to a BMI level of 20 and 25. For example, if you are 160cm tall, your ideal weight range is between 51.2 and 64.0 kg, and you are obese if you are above 76.8 kg.

Ideal Body Weight Formula Explained

Our calculator uses the scientifically proven ideal body weight formula: BMI = weight(kg) / height(m)². For optimal health:

• Women: BMI 20-23 (Formula: 20-23 × height² = ideal weight range)
• Men: BMI 22-25 (Formula: 22-25 × height² = ideal weight range)
• General population: BMI 20-25 for standard health guidelines

Gender Differences - Ideal Body Weight Calculator Female vs Male

Most Common Height Ranges

Ideal Body Weight Formulas: Devine, Hamwi, Robinson, Miller & Broca

Before BMI became the everyday standard, ideal body weight (IBW) was estimated using a family of clinical equations. These were originally developed not for cosmetic goals but to help doctors calculate medication dosages, since the metabolism of many drugs tracks IBW more closely than actual body weight. Each formula sets a base weight for a height of 5 feet and then adds a fixed increment for every inch above that. The Devine formula remains the most widely used and medically validated of the group.

• Hamwi formula (1964), by G. J. Hamwi: Men — 48.0 kg + 2.7 kg per inch over 5 feet; Women — 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch over 5 feet. Devised for medicinal dosing.
• Devine formula (1974), by B. J. Devine: Men — 50.0 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet; Women — 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet. Introduced for drug dosage and now the standard reference for IBW.
• Robinson formula (1983), by J. D. Robinson: Men — 52 kg + 1.9 kg per inch over 5 feet; Women — 49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch over 5 feet. A modification of the Devine formula.
• Miller formula (1983), by D. R. Miller: Men — 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per inch over 5 feet; Women — 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per inch over 5 feet. Another modification of the Devine formula.
• Broca index: Ideal weight (kg) = height (cm) − 100 for men, or height (cm) − 105 for women. A simple, long-standing rule of thumb.
• Lorentz formula: (height [cm] − 100) − (height [cm] − 150)/4 for men (dividing by 2 for women), adjusting the Broca index for build.

Because these equations rely on height and gender alone, they typically produce a single target figure rather than a range. BMI, by contrast, gives you a healthy band of weights, which is why our calculator above is BMI-based. For most people the different methods land within a few kilograms of each other.

Other Factors Affecting Your Ideal Weight

Height and gender are the main inputs, but they are not the whole story. Several additional factors influence what a healthy weight looks like for you:

• Body frame size: A large-boned person naturally weighs more than a small-boned person of the same height. Frame size is estimated from wrist circumference relative to height — roughly, a woman under 5'2" with a wrist under 5.5" is small-boned, 5.5"–5.75" is medium, and over 5.75" is large; men over 5'5" fall into small (5.5"–6.5"), medium (6.5"–7.5") and large (over 7.5") bands.
• Age: Once growth finishes (around 14–15 for girls and 16–17 for boys), age has little effect on the formula itself, but lean muscle mass tends to decline and body fat is gained more easily over time, so composition shifts even when weight does not.
• Muscle mass and body composition: Muscle is denser than fat, so a lean, muscular athlete can register as "overweight" on both IBW and BMI despite being very healthy.
• Bone density and fat distribution: Where the body stores fat, and how dense the skeleton is, both affect a healthy weight independently of the number on the scale.

How to Use This Ideal Body Weight Chart

This ideal body weight chart provides the most accurate BMI-based results for both metric and imperial users. The comprehensive table below serves as your reference guide, while our calculator above gives instant results. There is a similar table with height in feet and inches. You could also use our alternative BMI calculator to determine if you are in the ideal weight category, or these BMI norm tables. If needed, you can convert your height from centimeters to feet and inches using this calculator.

Why Use Our Ideal Body Weight Calculator

Alternative BMI Calculator Options

While our BMI calculator above provides instant results, you can also access our alternative BMI calculator for additional features. For reference materials, check our BMI norm tables for population comparisons.

Specialized Applications

Limitations of the Ideal Weight Calculator

No formula can state exactly how much any one person should weigh. IBW equations factor in only height and gender, with no allowance for muscle-to-fat ratio, activity level, physical differences or people at the extremes of the height range, so they are best read as general guidelines rather than strict targets. As long as you sit within the normal BMI band, there is no need to chase a specific number. These tools also apply to adults only — children and teens should be assessed against CDC age-and-sex growth percentiles, and pregnancy is a separate case. If you have concerns about your weight, the most reliable step is to speak with a doctor or dietitian.

Quick Reference by Height Range