Is there such a thing as an "ideal" weight?
No single number is ideal for everyone. Health depends on body composition, fitness, diet, sleep, blood pressure, blood sugar and many other factors. What doctors and public health agencies use instead is a healthy weight range — most often the range that corresponds to a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 to 24.9 for adults. This calculator shows that range for your height, along with the results of four classic "ideal body weight" formulas.
The ideal body weight formulas
Ideal body weight (IBW) formulas were originally created to help calculate medication doses, not to set personal weight goals. They all start from a base weight at 5 feet tall and add a fixed amount for each inch above 5 feet:
| 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 per inch | 49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch |
| Miller (1983) | 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per inch | 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per inch |
| Hamwi (1964) | 48 kg + 2.7 kg per inch | 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch |
The formulas tend to agree for average heights and diverge for very short or very tall people. For heights under 5 feet they become less reliable, which is why the BMI-based range is usually more useful.
Why BMI ranges have limits too
BMI doesn't distinguish muscle from fat, so athletes and very muscular people can have a "high" BMI while being healthy, and older adults can have a "normal" BMI with low muscle mass. Waist circumference is a helpful second measure: health risks rise for men with a waist above 40 inches (102 cm) and women above 35 inches (88 cm). Children and teens use BMI-for-age percentiles instead of adult ranges.
Next steps
If you'd like to reach a different weight, small sustainable changes work better than extreme diets. Our calorie calculator estimates how much energy your body uses each day, and the BMI calculator shows where your current weight falls. For personal advice — especially if you have a medical condition, are pregnant or have a history of disordered eating — talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.
Worked example
For a man who is 5 feet 10 inches tall (10 inches above 5 feet), the Devine formula gives 50 kg + 2.3 × 10 = 73 kg, or about 161 lb. Robinson gives 71 kg (157 lb), Miller 70.3 kg (155 lb) and Hamwi 75 kg (165 lb). The BMI-based healthy range for that height is about 129 to 174 lb, so all four formula results sit comfortably inside it. For a woman of the same height, the formulas give roughly 145 to 151 lb — again inside the same BMI range, which is identical for men and women.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy weight for 5'10"?
Which ideal weight formula is most accurate?
Does ideal weight depend on age?
Is the ideal weight different for men and women?
Sources & methodology
This calculator was last reviewed on November 2, 2026. Figures are based on the following official and primary sources:
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