Ideal Weight Calculator
Find your estimated ideal body weight and healthy weight range by height using four established formulas in kg and pounds.
Ideal weight by height
Your height and sex stay in this browser.
Advertisement
What is an ideal weight?
There is no single perfect weight for everyone. This tool compares four established height-based ideal body weight formulas and also shows the adult healthy BMI weight range. The formulas use sex and height. They do not measure muscle, fat, frame, or health.
For a 5 ft 8 in male, the four results run from 67.2 to 69.6 kg (148.15 to 153.44 lb). The healthy BMI band at that same height is wider: 55.19–74.28 kg.
What the result means
The range is the lowest and highest of Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi at your height. The midpoint is only the average of those four numbers, labeled as a reference so it is not mistaken for a required target. The healthy BMI weight range converts adult BMI 18.5 and 24.9 into weight at that height. A result inside one of those views can sit outside the other.
How to use this calculator
- Choose US or Metric units. Use feet and inches, or centimeters. The formulas always run from height in inches.
- Select sex and enter height. Choose Male or Female, then enter height. Each formula uses a different base and per-inch increment for that sex.
- Compare the estimates. Read the formula range, the four individual results in kg and lb, and the healthy BMI weight range for that height.
How is ideal body weight calculated?
Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi each start from a kilogram weight at 5 ft, then add a set amount for every inch of height above 5 ft. Male and female equations use different bases. Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi also use a different per-inch step for women than for men. Devine uses 2.3 kg per inch for both.
Male
- Devine: 50 + 2.3 × (height in inches − 60) kg
- Robinson: 52 + 1.9 × (height in inches − 60) kg
- Miller: 56.2 + 1.41 × (height in inches − 60) kg
- Hamwi: 48 + 2.7 × (height in inches − 60) kg
Female
- Devine: 45.5 + 2.3 × (height in inches − 60) kg
- Robinson: 49 + 1.7 × (height in inches − 60) kg
- Miller: 53.1 + 1.36 × (height in inches − 60) kg
- Hamwi: 45.5 + 2.2 × (height in inches − 60) kg
The results differ because the equations were proposed from different adult reference data, for different clinical uses. No single formula is the correct weight for every person. Pounds on this page are kilograms multiplied by 2.20462262185. Height in centimeters is converted to inches before the formula runs.
Ideal weight for 5 ft 8 in
5 ft 8 in is 172.72 cm, which people often round to 173 cm. The figures below use 68 inches, the same input as the calculator default. Entering 173 cm is a slightly taller height, so those results are not identical.
Male, 5 ft 8 in
- Devine: 68.4 kg (150.8 lb)
- Robinson: 67.2 kg (148.15 lb)
- Miller: 67.48 kg (148.77 lb)
- Hamwi: 69.6 kg (153.44 lb)
- Formula range: 67.2–69.6 kg (148.15–153.44 lb)
- Healthy BMI range: 55.19–74.28 kg (121.67–163.76 lb)
Female, 5 ft 8 in
- Devine: 63.9 kg (140.88 lb)
- Robinson: 62.6 kg (138.01 lb)
- Miller: 63.98 kg (141.05 lb)
- Hamwi: 63.1 kg (139.11 lb)
- Formula range: 62.6–63.98 kg (138.01–141.05 lb)
Ideal weight by height
Male and female columns are the low-to-high span of the four formulas. The healthy BMI column is the adult 18.5–24.9 band and does not depend on sex. Every cell is calculated from the same equations as the tool.
| Height | Men | Women | Healthy BMI range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5'0" | 105.82–123.9 lb48–56.2 kg | 100.31–117.07 lb45.5–53.1 kg | 94.73–127.5 lb42.97–57.83 kg |
| 5'2" | 117.73–130.12 lb53.4–59.02 kg | 110.01–123.06 lb49.9–55.82 kg | 101.15–136.14 lb45.88–61.75 kg |
| 5'4" | 129.63–136.33 lb58.8–61.84 kg | 119.71–129.06 lb54.3–58.54 kg | 107.78–145.06 lb48.89–65.8 kg |
| 5'5" | 135.58–139.44 lb61.5–63.25 kg | 124.56–132.06 lb56.5–59.9 kg | 111.17–149.63 lb50.43–67.87 kg |
| 5'6" | 139.77–142.55 lb63.4–64.66 kg | 129.41–135.06 lb58.7–61.26 kg | 114.62–154.27 lb51.99–69.98 kg |
| 5'7" | 143.96–147.49 lb65.3–66.9 kg | 134.26–138.05 lb60.9–62.62 kg | 118.12–158.98 lb53.58–72.11 kg |
| 5'8" | 148.15–153.44 lb67.2–69.6 kg | 138.01–141.05 lb62.6–63.98 kg | 121.67–163.76 lb55.19–74.28 kg |
| 5'9" | 151.88–159.39 lb68.89–72.3 kg | 141.76–145.95 lb64.3–66.2 kg | 125.28–168.62 lb56.82–76.48 kg |
| 5'10" | 154.98–165.35 lb70.3–75 kg | 145.51–151.02 lb66–68.5 kg | 128.93–173.54 lb58.48–78.72 kg |
| 5'11" | 158.09–171.3 lb71.71–77.7 kg | 149.25–156.09 lb67.7–70.8 kg | 132.64–178.53 lb60.17–80.98 kg |
| 6'0" | 161.2–177.25 lb73.12–80.4 kg | 153–161.16 lb69.4–73.1 kg | 136.41–183.6 lb61.87–83.28 kg |
| 6'1" | 164.31–183.2 lb74.53–83.1 kg | 156.04–166.23 lb70.78–75.4 kg | 140.22–188.73 lb63.6–85.61 kg |
| 6'2" | 167.42–189.16 lb75.94–85.8 kg | 159.04–171.3 lb72.14–77.7 kg | 144.09–193.94 lb65.36–87.97 kg |
| 6'4" | 173.64–201.06 lb78.76–91.2 kg | 165.04–181.44 lb74.86–82.3 kg | 151.98–204.56 lb68.94–92.79 kg |
How much should I weigh for my height?
Start with the formula range for your sex and height, then look at the healthy BMI band beside it. “How much should I weigh” does not have one answer in these equations. A 5 ft 10 in man and a 5 ft 10 in woman do not share a formula result, and neither result is a requirement. If you already know your weight, calculate BMI to see where that weight sits in the adult categories.
What is a healthy weight for my height?
For adults, the screening range used here is the weight that produces a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 at your height. BMI is a population screening measure. It is not an individualized medical diagnosis, and it does not tell muscle from fat. The formula estimates are usually tighter than that band. Use the band when the question is “healthy weight,” and the four formulas when the question is the classic ideal-body-weight estimate.
What is my ideal weight in kg?
The equations are defined in kilograms. At 5 ft 8 in, the male results are Devine 68.4 kg, Robinson 67.2 kg, Miller 67.48 kg, and Hamwi 69.6 kg. Switch the calculator to Metric and enter centimeters if that is the height you measured. The kilogram column updates from that height. It is not a separate formula.
What is my ideal weight in pounds?
Pounds are the kilogram result times 2.20462262185. The same 5 ft 8 in male range is 148.15–153.44 lb. Older charts sometimes print a different pound equation, such as a 106 lb base plus 6 lb per inch. This page does not mix those constants in. If a chart disagrees, it is using a different equation.
What is the ideal weight for men?
There is no ideal weight that fits all men. The male equations add their per-inch amount to a 5 ft base of 50 kg (Devine), 52 kg (Robinson), 56.2 kg (Miller), or 48 kg (Hamwi). A taller man gets a higher estimate. A shorter man gets a lower one. The height chart lists common US heights so a 5 ft 5 in, 5 ft 9 in, or 6 ft 0 in result can be read without retyping each one.
What is the ideal weight for women?
The female equations are separate. At 5 ft, the bases are 45.5 kg (Devine), 49 kg (Robinson), 53.1 kg (Miller), and 45.5 kg (Hamwi). Robinson adds 1.7 kg per inch, Miller 1.36 kg, and Hamwi 2.2 kg. At 5 ft 8 in the female formula range is 62.6–63.98 kg, which is not the male range at the same height. The healthy BMI band at that height is the same for both sexes because BMI does not use sex.
Does ideal weight depend on age?
Not in these formulas. Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi do not take an age input, and this calculator does not invent an age-adjusted version of them. The tool is for adults. It is not a pediatric growth chart, and it should not be used to set a child’s weight. Age can still change body composition and the clinical context around a weight. That judgment is outside a height-only equation.
Common ideal weight calculator mistakes
- Treating one formula, or the average, as a perfect target.
- Confusing the narrow formula range with the wider healthy BMI weight range.
- Ignoring muscle and body composition. A higher scale weight can be lean mass.
- Entering centimeters into the feet field, or treating 173 cm as exactly 5 ft 8 in.
- Using these adult formulas for children.
Related health calculators
Ideal weight does not replace the rest of a health check. After you know the height-based range, you can estimate body fat, calculate lean body mass, or set a calorie and macro plan with the calorie calculator and the macro calculator.
- BMI CalculatorAdult BMI and the healthy weight band from height and weight.
- Calorie CalculatorDaily calorie needs from height, weight, age, and activity.
- Body Fat CalculatorA tape-measure body fat estimate when scale weight is not enough.
- Lean Body Mass CalculatorLean mass from body fat or from height-based equations.
- Macro CalculatorProtein, carbohydrate, and fat split from a calorie target.
FAQ
What is an ideal weight?
On this page, ideal weight means the estimates from four adult height-and-sex formulas: Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi. They do not produce one perfect number. The useful result is the range across those formulas, read next to the healthy BMI weight band.
How is ideal body weight calculated?
Each formula starts from a kilogram base at 5 ft, then adds a fixed amount for every inch above 5 ft. Male and female equations use different bases and, except for Devine, different per-inch steps. Pounds are the kilogram result times 2.20462262185.
Which ideal weight formula is most accurate?
None of the four is universally the most accurate. Devine was published for drug dosing, and the later equations were proposed as alternatives. They use only height and sex, so they cannot judge muscle, fat, frame, or health. Compare the range instead of treating one line as the correct weight.
What is a healthy weight for my height?
For adults, a common screening band is BMI 18.5 to 24.9. This calculator converts that band into kilograms and pounds at the height you enter. BMI is not a diagnosis, and it does not separate muscle from fat. A formula result can sit inside that band without being the only healthy weight.
Is ideal weight the same as healthy weight?
No. The formula result is a narrow set of height-based estimates. The healthy BMI range is a wider screening band at the same height. Someone can be outside a formula result and still fall inside BMI 18.5–24.9, or the reverse can happen when body composition differs from the population the formula was built on.
Does ideal weight change with age?
These four equations do not change the math by age. This calculator does not invent an age-adjusted Devine, Robinson, Miller, or Hamwi result, and it is not for children. Age can still matter clinically because body composition changes, but that is outside these formulas.
Can muscular people weigh more than their ideal weight?
Yes. The formulas cannot see muscle or fat. A person with more muscle can weigh above every formula result and still have a body composition that a scale-only target would misread. Body fat or lean mass is a better follow-up than forcing the scale down to one formula.
Is this ideal weight calculator accurate?
It applies the published equations and the 18.5–24.9 BMI band consistently, in kilograms and pounds. That is arithmetic accuracy, not a promise that the number is the right weight for you. It is an adult reference, not a medical clearance or a medication dose.
Methodology and references
The kilogram equations follow the forms commonly cited from Devine (1974), Robinson and colleagues (1983), Miller and colleagues (1983), and Hamwi (1964). This page does not reproduce those papers. It applies the height-and-sex equations shown above. The healthy weight band is adult BMI 18.5 to 24.9, the screening range described by the CDC for adults. It is not a child BMI-for-age percentile and not a diagnosis.
One kilogram equals 2.20462262185 pounds. One inch equals 2.54 centimeters. Both conversions are exact constants in the calculator, the example, and the height chart.