Ideal Body Weight Calculator: Check Your Ideal Weight With Height

Ideal Weight Calculator

• Our ideal body weight calculator uses four different formulas to find your ideal weight, as well as give you your BMI .
• While the four formulas listed below give you only one number that you should be aiming for, BMI gives you a certain weight range you should be in.

 

Steps To Calculate Ideal Body Weight

1. Select Your Gender
2. Enter Your Height in Feet & Inches
3. Check Your Ideal Body Weight 

 

Formula For Ideal Body Weight

There are four ideal body weight formulas. 

 

Robinson Formula

• For Males = 52 kg + 1.9 kg per inch over 5 feet
• For Females = 49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch over 5 feet

 

Miller Formula

• For Males = 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per inch over 5 feet
• For Females = 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per inch over 5 feet

 

Devine Formula

• For Males = 50.0 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet
• For Females = 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet

 

Hamwi Formula

• For Males = 48.0 kg + 2.7 kg per inch over 5 feet
• For Females = 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch over 5 feet

 

What is Ideal Body Weight (IBW)

• Ideal body weight (IBW) refers to how much a person should weigh according to his or her age, gender, height, and other factors. 
• There are various formulas to determine the ideal body weight of a person, such as the Robinson formula, Miller formula, Devine formula, and Hamwi formula. 
• IBW only gives an estimate and may not be strictly applicable universally.
• While calculating IBW, factors such as body fat or muscle mass aren’t taken into consideration. 
• Therefore, it is not a perfect measure of the health of a person. 
• Conditions such as obesity, malnutrition, and heart disease, among others, can lead to health complexities. 
• The range of healthy body weights is calculated based on BMI. 
• Given a specific height, the calculator uses standard algorithms to calculate the range of possible body weights that fall within different categories of the weight determined by BMI. 
• An adult aged 18 or older with a BMI between 18.5 and 25 kg/m2 is typically defined as having a healthy or normal weight. 
• Refer to the BMI Calculator for more information, but note that a "healthy body weight" is based on estimations that do not account for certain factors such as body composition. 
• While accurate for an "average" person, this means that it is possible to be categorized as overweight or underweight and still be "healthy," 
• But this requires more than a generalized calculation to determine – likely with the help of a medical professional.
• Maintaining an ideal body weight can help people avoid such complexities and ensure better health.

 

Weight and Height guide chart for Ideal Body Weight

 

The following weight and height chart uses BMI tables from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for Ideal Body Weight.

Height	Normal weight BMI 19–24	Overweight BMI 25–29	Obesity BMI 30–39	Severe obesity BMI 40+
4 ft 10 in (58 in)	91–115 lb	119–138 lb	143–186 lb	191–258 lb
4 ft 11 in (59 in)	94–119 lb	124–143 lb	148–193 lb	198–267 lb
5ft (60 in”)	97–123 lb	128–148 lb	153–199 lb	204–276 lb
5 ft 1 in (61 in)	100–127 lb	132–153 lb	158–206 lb	211–285 lb
5 ft 2 in (62 in)	104–131 lb	136–158 lb	164–213 lb	218–295 lb
5 ft 3 in (63 in)	107–135 lb	141–163 lb	169–220 lb	225–304 lb
5 ft 4 in (64 in)	110–140 lb	145–169 lb	174–227 lb	232–314 lb
5 ft 5 in (65 in)	114–144 lb	150–174 lb	180–234 lb	240–324 lb
5 ft 6 in (66 in)	118–148 lb	155–179 lb	186–241 lb	247–334 lb
5 ft 7 in (67 in)	121–153 lb	159–185 lb	191–249 lb	255–344 lb
5 ft 8 in (68 in)	125–158 lb	164–190 lb	197–256 lb	262–354 lb
5 ft 9 in (69 in)	128–162 lb	169–196 lb	203–263 lb	270–365 lb
5 ft 10 in (70 in)	132–167 lb	174–202 lb	209–271 lb	278–376 lb
5 ft 11 in (71 in)	136–172 lb	179–208 lb	215–279 lb	286–386 lb
6 ft (72 in)	140–177 lb	184–213 lb	221–287 lb	294–397 lb
6 ft 1 in (73 in)	144–182 lb	189–219 lb	227–295 lb	302–408 lb
6 ft 2 in (74 in)	148–186 lb	194–225 lb	233–303 lb	311–420 lb
6 ft 3 in (75 in)	152–192 lb	200–232 lb	240–311 lb	319–431 lb
6 ft 4 in (76 in)	156–197 lb	205–238 lb	246–320 lb	328–443 lb

 

Best Formula For Ideal Body Weight

• The most medically validated ideal body weight formula is the Devine formula. 
• Physicians use this formula to calculate the doses of certain drugs, such as levothyroxine or immunoglobulins.
• Other formulas don’t differ that much from the Devine formula, and they were mainly designed trying to improve the original formula.

 

Ideal Body Weight For Female

To determine the ideal body weight for a female, you can use the Devine formula.

 

In kilograms:

45.5 kg + 2.3 kg for every inch over 5 feet

 

In pounds:

100.3 lb + 5.1 lb for every inch over 5 feet

 

• For example, for a 5 ft 4-inch female, the ideal weight is 55 kg (121.25 lb).
• Remember, this is only an estimation. There is no one universal weight for every woman your height, and this formula doesn't tell you if you should lose or gain weight. 
• If you have concerns about your current body weight, talk to your physician.

 

Ideal Body Weight For Male

 

• To calculate your ideal body weight, you can use the Devine formula.

 

Devine formula for man:

50.0 kg + 2.3 kg for every inch over 5 feet

 

Effects of Being Underweight, Overweight, and Obese

Underweight (BMI < 18.5):

• A person can be underweight as a result of genetics, lack of food, metabolic issues, use of drugs, or illness. 
• Being underweight is associated with a host of medical conditions that include hyperthyroidism, cancer, or tuberculosis, and can be indicative of some underlying disease or disorder. 
• Studies have also shown that being underweight results in an increase in mortality rates comparable to that of the morbidly obese. 
• It is possible however that these rates are affected by disease-related weight loss, and being underweight in the absence of some underlying disease may not have significantly higher mortality rates as compared to rates for a healthy weight.
• Being underweight can also cause other issues, including low energy levels or stamina, osteoporosis, and a weak immune system that can make a person more susceptible to infection. 
• Also, people that are underweight due to a lack of high-quality food (rather than excessive exercise or other possible reasons) can become malnourished, which can cause both physical and mental development issues. 
• In extreme cases, severe forms of malnutrition such as kwashiorkor and marasmus can result.
• Specifically for women, being underweight due to an eating disorder can result in the absence of menstruation, infertility, and possible complications during pregnancy.

 

Overweight (BMI 25-30):

• Being overweight is typically a result of consuming more calories than the body expends through metabolic processes and exercise. 
• Being overweight is also affected by many other factors, including alcoholism, a genetic predisposition, eating disorders, limited physical exercise and a sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition, and stress.
• The negative effects of being overweight are somewhat more controversial than those of being obese. It is generally accepted that being overweight causes similar issues as obesity (as will be discussed below), but to a lesser extent. 
• However, there have been studies that show a lower mortality rate for overweight people compared to those categorized as having a healthy weight.
•  In response to these findings, some argued that a BMI range of 25-30, which is currently categorized as overweight, may be optimal.
• While others argued that mortality is far from the sole indicator of health – the increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and several forms of cancer are significant factors influenced by being overweight.

 

Obese (BMI > 30):

• Obesity is typically caused by a lack of exercise, excessive food intake, and genetic susceptibility. 
• There are rarer cases where obesity is caused primarily by genes, hormonal imbalances due to endocrine disorders, medications, or mental disorders. 
• It is mostly preventable, however, through lifestyle and diet changes, though there is still insufficient understanding of all the factors affecting obesity. 
• While it can be broken down to the simple, personal case of controlling energy intake and output, there is often more involved and managing obesity on a societal level has far from an algorithmic solution.
• Obesity greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke as well as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders including osteoarthritis, and some cancers. 
• It can also cause obstructive sleep apnea and depression (or sometimes be caused by depression). 
• Because of all the potential complications of obesity, it has been found to reduce life expectancy, and is classified as one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide.

 

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

• Being underweight, overweight, or obese are conditions that lead to significantly different health complications.
• Managing these conditions, however, involves addressing many similar underlying issues, including diet, exercise, and possible mental health disorders.
• In the case of being underweight, increasing calorie intake through eating nutrient-rich foods such as whole grains, vegetables, lean protein sources, and nuts and seeds more frequently can help underweight individuals to gain weight in a healthy manner. 
• In addition, exercise such as weight lifting to increase muscle mass can also increase a person's weight. 
• When the underlying cause of a person being underweight is a mental health disorder such as anorexia or bulimia nervosa, treatment involves addressing the psychological problems in conjunction with physical approaches to increase weight.
• Being overweight and obese, similarly to being underweight, can vastly be reduced through changes in diet and exercise. 
• The WHO recommends limiting the intake of calorie-dense foods, total fats, and sugars while increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts. 
• It further recommends engaging in regular physical activity, defining this as 60 minutes a day for children, and 150 minutes total per week for adults. 
• However, individual responsibility can only be fully effective if people have access to a healthy lifestyle in terms of education, affordable and healthier dietary choices, and changes such as a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, reduction of the sugar and salt contents of processed foods, and decreased marketing of such foods, particularly to children and teenagers.

 

Limitations

• There are limitations to all the formulas and methods. 
• Because the formulas are designed to be as applicable to as wide a range of people as possible, they cannot be highly accurate for every single individual. 
• The formulas factor only height and gender, and there are no considerations for physical handicaps, people on the extreme ends of the spectrum, activity levels, or muscle mass to body fat ratios, otherwise known as body composition. 
• Our Ideal Weight Calculator is meant to be used as a general guideline based on popular formulas, and its results are not intended as strict values that a person must achieve to be considered an "ideal weight.