How to use
Choose your sex and enter your height to see your ideal weight by four well-known formulas, plus the healthy weight range based on body mass index. The formulas disagree, so the main result is the range between them; each formula and the healthy BMI range are listed below.
Formulas
All four formulas start from a weight for a height of 5 feet and add a set amount for every inch above it.
| Formula | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Devine (1974) | 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch | 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch |
| Robinson (1983) | 52 kg + 1.9 kg | 49 kg + 1.7 kg |
| Miller (1983) | 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg | 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg |
| Hamwi (1964) | 106 lb + 6 lb | 100 lb + 5 lb |
For example, a man who is 5′10″: Devine gives 50 + 2.3 × 10 = 73 kg (161 lb).
Which formula should I trust?
None of them on its own. The Devine formula was designed to dose medication, not to judge body shape — the others use different coefficients. The spread between them is the honest answer: an “ideal weight” is a range, not a single number. The widest range is the one based on a BMI of 18.5–24.9, used by the World Health Organization.
FAQ
Why don’t the formulas account for age or build? They’re deliberately simple and use only height and sex. People with a large frame or lots of muscle can weigh more than the formulas suggest — for them, body fat percentage is a better measure.
Do they work for people shorter than 5 feet? Not well: they subtract weight below 5 feet and tend to underestimate. Use the BMI range instead.
The result is a guide, not medical advice. To check your current weight, use the BMI calculator.