Ideal Weight Calculator
Estimate an ideal body weight from height and sex with the Devine formula, alongside Robinson, Miller and Hamwi and the healthy-BMI weight range.
What the classic formulas call an ideal weight for your height.
How the ideal weight calculator works
The "ideal body weight" formulas all start from a base weight at 5 feet (152.4 cm) and add a fixed amount per inch above it. Devine (1974) — 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch for men, 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg for women — was written for drug dosing and remains the most quoted; Robinson (1983) and Miller (1983) were refitted to insurance tables and run lighter; Hamwi (1964) is a quick rule of thumb.
None of them is a health target. They describe an average build; a muscular person will be "over" every one of them. The healthy-BMI range (18.5–24.9) is shown as a broader check.
Formula: Devine — men: 50 + 2.3 × (inches over 60) · women: 45.5 + 2.3 × (inches over 60)
Worked examples
| Inputs | Ideal weight (Devine) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Man, 180 cm | 75 | 10.9 in over 5 ft |
| Woman, 165 cm | 56.9 | Devine for women |
| Man, 6 ft 2 in | 181.2 | answer in pounds |
FAQFrequently asked questions
Is the ideal weight formula a health target?
No. Devine was written so that doctors could dose drugs by a standard weight; it describes an average build at each height. Use the healthy-BMI range and body-composition measures for health questions.
Why do the four formulas disagree?
Different decades, different data. Devine and Hamwi were rules of thumb; Robinson and Miller were fitted to 1983 insurance tables and give lighter figures, especially for tall people.
I am well above every formula — is that a problem?
Not necessarily. Muscle is heavier than fat and the formulas know nothing about composition. Waist-to-height ratio and body-fat percentage tell you more.
Why is 5 feet the starting point?
Historical convenience: the formulas were built as "base weight at 5 ft plus so much per inch". Below 5 ft they extrapolate and become less reliable.
Where these figures come from
- Mifflin MD et al., "A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals", Am J Clin Nutr 1990 — the BMR equation used here
- World Health Organization — Waist circumference and waist–hip ratio (2008 expert consultation) — waist-to-hip cut-offs
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR, "Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited", J Am Coll Cardiol 2001 — 208 − 0.7 × age
- Nathan DM et al., "Translating the A1C assay into estimated average glucose values" (ADAG), Diabetes Care 2008 — eAG = 28.7 × A1c − 46.7
- Mosteller RD, "Simplified calculation of body-surface area", N Engl J Med 1987 — BSA = √(height × weight / 3600)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — national health guidance
Last checked: September 2026. The equations are fixed by their published papers and do not change with tax years or regulations; the thresholds quoted in verdicts name the body that set them.