Ideal Weight Calculator
How it works
All four formulas share the same shape: a base weight at exactly 5 feet (152.4 cm), plus a fixed number of kilograms for every inch of height above that.
| Formula | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Devine (1974) | 50 + 2.3 × in over 5 ft | 45.5 + 2.3 × in over 5 ft |
| Robinson (1983) | 52 + 1.9 × in over 5 ft | 49 + 1.7 × in over 5 ft |
| Miller (1983) | 56.2 + 1.41 × in over 5 ft | 53.1 + 1.36 × in over 5 ft |
| Hamwi (1964) | 48 + 2.7 × in over 5 ft | 45.5 + 2.2 × in over 5 ft |
Weights in pounds are not asked for here because none of the four formulas take one in — every result is a weight in kilograms, worked out from height and sex alone. Height in inches is converted to centimetres first, through the same conversion the BMI calculator uses, so a height typed either way gives the same four figures.
For a body-mass figure that also uses weight, see the BMI calculator; for one that also uses age and activity level, see the calorie calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Why does it show four different numbers instead of one?
Because none of the four is definitively "correct". Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi are four formulas published by four different sources between 1964 and 1983, and they disagree with each other by several kilograms at the same height. Showing the spread is more honest than picking one and presenting it as the answer — the same reasoning behind the calorie calculator listing every activity level rather than only the one selected.
Why does it need at least 5 feet of height?
Every one of the four formulas is written as a base weight at exactly 5 feet (152.4 cm), plus a fixed amount for every inch above that. Below 5 feet the formula is being asked for a negative number of inches, which it was never fitted on and which some of the four turn into a plausible-looking but meaningless figure — so heights under 152.4 cm are rejected rather than answered.
Is this a healthy weight range, like BMI gives?
No. These are four point estimates from older reference formulas, not a range with a lower and an upper bound. For a band rather than a point, see the BMI calculator, which reports the weights at BMI 18.5 and 25 for the same height.