Get an estimated ideal weight range based on your height and sex, calculated using several well-known medical formulas.
The Devine formula estimates a reference weight of 70.5 kg based on height and sex. It was originally developed for medication dosing, not as a personal weight target.
This formula doesn't account for frame size, muscle mass, or body composition. Many healthy weights fall outside this single number — it's best used as a rough reference point, not a goal.
This calculator provides general informational estimates and is not a medical diagnosis. Results should be interpreted alongside other factors. If you have concerns about your health, consider speaking with a qualified healthcare professional.
Ideal body weight formulas were originally developed for medical purposes, such as estimating medication dosages, and are based mainly on height and sex rather than full body composition. They provide a general reference range rather than a precise individual target — body frame, muscle mass, and other factors all matter too.
Other widely referenced formulas include Robinson (1983), Miller (1983), and Hamwi (1964), each derived from different populations and giving slightly different results for the same height.
| Formula | Estimated ideal weight |
|---|---|
| Devine | 68.5 kg (151 lb) |
| Robinson | 67.3 kg (148 lb) |
| Miller | 68.6 kg (151 lb) |
| Hamwi | 70.6 kg (156 lb) |
A BMI-based healthy weight range is generally wider than a single "ideal weight" formula result, because BMI covers a range (typically 18.5–25 kg/m²) rather than a single target number. Ideal weight formulas were designed for a different original purpose (clinical dosing) and shouldn't be treated as a strict goal.
Example 1 — Woman, 5'4" (163 cm): Devine formula: 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg × 4 inches over 5 ft = 45.5 + 9.2 = 54.7 kg (about 121 lb).
Example 2 — Man, 6'0" (183 cm): Devine formula: 50 kg + 2.3 kg × 12 inches over 5 ft = 50 + 27.6 = 77.6 kg (about 171 lb).
Example 3 — Comparing to BMI range: For the 5'8" man in the table below, a BMI-based healthy range (18.5–25) spans roughly 59–80 kg — considerably wider than any single ideal-weight formula result, illustrating why these numbers work better as reference points than fixed targets.
| Ideal weight formula | BMI healthy range | |
|---|---|---|
| Output | Single number | A range (e.g., 59–80 kg) |
| Original purpose | Medication dosing estimates | Population screening tool |
| Accounts for frame/muscle | No | No |
Which formula is "correct"? None is definitively correct — each is a different statistical estimate, so results are best used as a general range rather than a precise target.
Why do these formulas only need height and sex? They were originally designed for quick clinical estimates (such as medication dosing), not as comprehensive health assessments.
Is being above "ideal weight" unhealthy? Not necessarily — muscle mass, frame size, and overall health markers matter far more than matching a single formula-derived number.
Why do Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi give different results? Each formula was derived from a different study population and dataset in different decades, so the coefficients differ slightly even though the underlying height-based approach is similar.
Should children use ideal weight formulas? No — these formulas were designed for adults; children and teens are generally assessed using age- and sex-specific growth percentile charts instead.
How does frame size (small, medium, large) factor in? Some extended versions of these formulas apply an adjustment for wrist circumference or frame size, though the base formulas shown here don't account for it directly.
Is "ideal weight" the same as the weight I should aim for when losing weight? Not necessarily — a realistic, sustainable weight-loss goal should generally be set with a healthcare provider and may reasonably differ from a formula-derived number, especially for muscular or larger-framed individuals.
For a man at 175 cm, the Devine formula estimates an ideal weight around 70 kg, while the Robinson formula estimates around 68.5 kg — the small differences between formulas are normal and illustrate why these are general references, not precise medical targets.
Ideal weight: A general reference weight range estimated from height and sex using established formulas.
Frame size: An individual's skeletal build, which classic ideal-weight formulas generally don't account for.