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Ideal Weight Calculator – Calculate Your Ideal Body Weight

Ideal Weight Calculator

Calculate your ideal body weight using multiple scientific formulas based on your height, gender, and age.

Personal Details

years

Height Information

How Much Should I Weigh?

Most everyone has at some point tried to lose weight, or at least known somebody who has. This is largely due to the perception of an “ideal” body weight, which is often based on what we see promoted through various media such as social media, TV, movies, magazines, etc.

Although ideal body weight (IBW) today is sometimes based on perceived visual appeal, IBW was actually introduced to estimate dosages for medical use, and the formulas that calculate it are not at all related to how a person looks at a given weight. It has since been determined that the metabolism of certain drugs is more based on IBW than it is total body weight.

Note that IBW is not a perfect measurement. It does not consider the percentages of body fat and muscle in a person’s body. This means that it is possible for highly fit, healthy athletes to be considered overweight based on their IBW. This is why IBW should be considered with the perspective that it is an imperfect measure and not necessarily indicative of health.

Factors That Affect Ideal Weight

Age

In theory, age shouldn’t be a large determinant of an IBW past the ages of 14-15 for girls and 16-17 for boys, after which most people stop growing. It is important to remember that as people age, lean muscle mass decreases and it is easier to accumulate excess body fat.

Gender

Generally, females weigh less than males even though they naturally have a higher percentage of body fat. This is because the male body generally has higher muscle mass, and muscle is heavier than fat. Males tend to be taller than females as well.

Height

The taller the person, the more muscle mass and body fat they have, which results in more weight. A male at a similar height to a female should weigh about 10-20% heavier.

Body Frame Size

Body frame size is another factor that can have a significant impact on the measurement of ideal weight. It is measured based on the circumference of a person’s wrist in relation to their height.

How to Determine Your Body Frame Size

For Women:

  • Height under 5’2″
    • Small boned = wrist size less than 5.5″
    • Medium boned = wrist size 5.5″ to 5.75″
    • Large boned = wrist size over 5.75″
  • Height between 5’2″ and 5’5″
    • Small boned = wrist size less than 6″
    • Medium boned = wrist size 6″ to 6.25″
    • Large boned = wrist size over 6.25″
  • Height over 5’5″
    • Small boned = wrist size less than 6.25″
    • Medium boned = wrist size 6.25″ to 6.5″
    • Large boned = wrist size over 6.5″

For Men:

  • Height over 5’5″
    • Small boned = wrist size 5.5″ to 6.5″
    • Medium boned = wrist size 6.5″ to 7.5″
    • Large boned = wrist size over 7.5″

Formulas for Finding the Ideal Weight

IBW formulas were developed mainly to facilitate drug dosage calculations. All of the formulas have the same format of a base weight given a height of 5 feet with a set weight increment added per inch over the height of 5 feet.

G. J. Hamwi Formula (1964)

Male: 48.0 kg + 2.7 kg per inch over 5 feet

Female: 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch over 5 feet

B. J. Devine Formula (1974)

Male: 50.0 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet

Female: 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet

J. D. Robinson Formula (1983)

Male: 52 kg + 1.9 kg per inch over 5 feet

Female: 49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch over 5 feet

D. R. Miller Formula (1983)

Male: 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per inch over 5 feet

Female: 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per inch over 5 feet

Healthy BMI Range

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended healthy BMI range is 18.5 – 25 for both males and females. Based on the BMI range, it is possible to find out a healthy weight for any given height.

BMI is a commonly used metric for determining IBW. It is widely used in the medical field as a quick indicator of possible health complications. Generally, the higher the BMI, the higher the chance a person will suffer from health problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and many more.

Limitations of Ideal Weight Calculations

There are limitations to all the formulas and methods. Because the formulas are designed to be as applicable to as wide a range of people as possible, they cannot be highly accurate for every single individual. The formulas factor only height and gender, and there are no considerations for physical handicaps, people on the extreme ends of the spectrum, activity levels, or muscle mass to body fat ratios, otherwise known as body composition.

This Ideal Weight Calculator is meant to be used as a general guideline based on popular formulas, and its results are not intended as strict values that a person must achieve to be considered an “ideal weight.”