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Ideal Body Weight

Ideal Weight Calculator (4 Formulas)

Estimate your ideal body weight using four validated clinical formulas, compared side by side.

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Ideal Weight Calculator
Find your ideal weight using 4 different formulas (Hamwi, Devine, Robinson, Miller)
? Male
? Female
Note: These are estimates. Body composition, muscle mass and bone density all affect your ideal weight.
Enter height and gender to calculate

Medical disclaimer. This calculator is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding your health, diet, exercise, or medication decisions. Read full disclaimer →

About Ideal Weight Calculator

Ideal body weight (IBW) is an estimate of a healthy target weight based on height and sex. Several validated formulas exist: Devine formula (most widely used, originally designed for drug dosing): Men: 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch above 5 feet; Women: 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch above 5 feet. Robinson formula: Men: 52 kg + 1.9 kg per inch above 5 feet; Women: 49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch. Our calculator shows results from multiple formulas for comparison.

Limitations of IBW: these formulas were developed from population averages and do not account for body composition, bone density, age, or ethnicity. A heavily muscled person may exceed their IBW while having excellent health. Healthy weight is better assessed using body fat percentage, waist circumference, or waist-to-height ratio (below 0.5 is generally healthy). BMI range 18.5-24.9 corresponds to a similar range but with the same limitations. IBW is most clinically useful for calculating medication doses and assessing nutritional status in clinical settings, not as a personal weight target.

Frequently Asked Questions

No single formula is universally 'most accurate' - each was developed from different population samples for different purposes. The Devine formula is the most widely used clinically (originally created for drug dosing calculations), while Hamwi, Robinson, and Miller offer alternative estimates. This calculator averages all four so you can see the range rather than relying on one number.
All four formulas start from a baseline weight for 5 feet (152.4 cm) of height and add a fixed amount per inch above that. For example, the Devine formula uses 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch for men, and 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch for women. The Hamwi, Robinson, and Miller formulas use similar but slightly different baselines and per-inch increments.
Ideal body weight (IBW) formulas produce a single target number based only on height and sex, while BMI defines a healthy range (18.5-24.9) based on height alone. Both approaches share the same core limitation: they don't account for muscle mass, bone density, age, or ethnicity, so a muscular person can exceed their 'ideal weight' while being perfectly healthy.
Not necessarily. These formulas are population-level statistical estimates most useful for clinical purposes like medication dosing, not personal weight targets. A more informative approach for assessing healthy weight is tracking body fat percentage or waist circumference alongside the scale, since these better reflect body composition.
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