EZ Calculators

Ideal Weight Calculator

This ideal weight calculator shows what four classic formulas (Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi) give for your height, side by side. You'll also see the weight range that matches a healthy adult BMI of 18.5 to under 25, and the weight at a BMI you choose.

Calculation and content reviewed by EZ Calculators Editorial Team on .

Enter values

Compare four historical height formulas with exact adult BMI arithmetic and a BMI-linked Peterson estimate. The result keeps equation history, screening context, approximation, and personal health decisions separate.

Build the scenario below, then calculate for a complete result report.

Runs in your browser
Historical comparisonFour named formulas
BMI comparisonExact plus Peterson
Personal targetNot prescribed
Height units

Adult standing height

Enter total inches from 48 to 84. For example, 5 ft 10 in is 70 inches.

Adults age 20+
The historical formulas are shown only from 5 ft upward because their published structure uses inches over 5 ft.
in

Comparison settings

The coefficient set affects only the four historical equations. BMI-based rows remain sex-independent.

This choice changes only the four historical sex-specific equations. BMI calculations are sex-independent.
A mathematical comparison point inside the CDC healthy-weight screening interval, not a recommended personal goal.
kg/m²
Equation references, not an ideal person

Height-only formulas cannot measure body composition, symptoms, medical history, nutrition, fitness, or worth. Never use this general result to calculate a medication dose or prescribe weight change.

What is the ideal weight for my height?

There's no single right number, so it helps to look at a range. For a man who is 5 feet 10 inches tall, four classic formulas give 70.3 to 75.0 kg (about 155 to 165 lb). The CDC healthy BMI range at that height runs from about 58.5 kg (128.9 lb) to just under 79.0 kg (174.2 lb).

How to check your ideal weight

Enter your standing height in total inches or centimetres. Pick the male or female coefficients, which only change the four older formulas. The BMI rows don't depend on sex.

The BMI comparator starts at 22. You can set it anywhere from 18.5 up to just under 25 to see the exact weight at that BMI for your height. It's a point of comparison, not a goal.

  1. Choose U.S. customary (inches) or metric (centimetres).
  2. Enter your height, from 48 to 84 inches or 121.9 to 213.4 cm.
  3. Select the male or female coefficient set.
  4. Keep BMI 22 or enter another value from 18.5 to under 25.
  5. Calculate and compare the formula band, the BMI range and the method table.

Ideal body weight formulas: Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi

Each formula starts with a base weight at 5 feet and adds a fixed amount for every inch above that. They differ in their starting points and slopes, which is why they disagree. The calculator shows all four instead of picking one for you.

The BMI weight uses a different idea: multiply a BMI by your height in metres squared. Peterson and colleagues published a linear shortcut for the same thing, which the calculator shows next to the exact figure.

Formula guide
  • Devine: men 50 kg, women 45.5 kg, + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft
  • Robinson: men 52 + 1.9 kg, women 49 + 1.7 kg per inch over 5 ft
  • Miller: men 56.2 + 1.41 kg, women 53.1 + 1.36 kg per inch over 5 ft
  • Hamwi: men 48 + 2.7 kg, women 45.5 + 2.2 kg per inch over 5 ft
  • Weight at a BMI = BMI x height (m)^2
  • Peterson: weight (kg) = 2.2 x BMI + 3.5 x BMI x (height (m) - 1.5)

Worked examples: 5 ft 10 in and 5 ft 5 in

At 70 inches, you're 10 inches over 5 feet. With the male coefficients, Devine gives 50 + 2.3 x 10 = 73.0 kg. Robinson gives 71.0, Miller 70.3 and Hamwi 75.0. That's a 4.7 kg spread from height alone. At BMI 22 the exact weight is about 69.5 kg, and Peterson gives about 69.8.

At 65 inches with the female coefficients, the formulas give 57.0 (Devine), 57.5 (Robinson), 59.9 (Miller) and 56.5 kg (Hamwi). The healthy BMI range at that height is about 50.4 kg to just under 68.2 kg.

Formula results by height and coefficient set
Method5 ft 10 in, male5 ft 5 in, female
Devine73.0 kg (160.9 lb)57.0 kg (125.7 lb)
Robinson71.0 kg (156.5 lb)57.5 kg (126.8 lb)
Miller70.3 kg (155.0 lb)59.9 kg (132.1 lb)
Hamwi75.0 kg (165.3 lb)56.5 kg (124.6 lb)
Weight at BMI 2269.5 kg (153.3 lb)60.0 kg (132.2 lb)
BMI 18.5 to under 2558.5 to 79.0 kg50.4 to 68.2 kg

Healthy weight for my height

If you want a range rather than a single number, the BMI row is the one to read. CDC calls a BMI of 18.5 to under 25 the healthy weight range for adults 20 and older, for both men and women. The calculator turns that into kilograms and pounds for your height.

Notice how much wider it is than the formula band. At 5 feet 10 inches the BMI range spans about 20 kg, while the four formulas span 5.4. The formulas pick a point, and the BMI range shows how much room there is.

Where the formulas came from

None of these came from studies of which weight is healthiest. Hamwi dates to 1964, and a 2021 review notes no method of development was reported for it. Devine's 1974 formula relied on observation rather than statistics. Robinson and Miller both published in 1983 using regression on height and weight tables.

That history is why averaging them doesn't make the answer more accurate. The calculator reports the median and mean only as summaries, and leads with the full range.

Limits: a reference, not a target

These formulas only know your height. They can't see muscle, frame, fat distribution, age, health conditions or medications. A muscular person can sit well above every formula and still be healthy. BMI has the same blind spots.

Below 5 feet the calculator skips the four formulas, because they were written for inches over 5 feet. It's not for children, teens or pregnancy. Don't use it to work out a medication dose, since that needs a drug-specific method from a prescriber or pharmacist. Talk to a doctor or dietitian before setting a weight goal.

Sources

These sources cover the formulas, their history and the BMI range used on this page.

Ideal body weight: a commentary (2021)History and limits of the Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi formulas.Robinson et al. (1983): determination of ideal body weightThe original regression study behind the Robinson formula.Peterson et al.: universal body-weight equationA linear equation linking height and BMI to body weight.CDC: adult BMI categoriesThe healthy weight BMI range of 18.5 to under 25.CDC: BMI frequently asked questionsWhy BMI is a screening measure and not a diagnosis.Drug dosing in adults with obesityWhy medication dosing needs drug-specific weight methods.

FAQ

What is the Devine formula?

It's 50 kg for men or 45.5 kg for women, plus 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet. At 5 feet 10 inches, a man gets 73.0 kg, about 160.9 lb.

Which ideal weight formula is most accurate?

None is accurate for an individual, because none measures health. They come from tables and observation decades ago. Compare them as references, and use the BMI range for a broader view.

What is a healthy weight for 5 ft 5 in?

By the CDC adult BMI range, about 50.4 kg (111.2 lb) to just under 68.2 kg (150.2 lb). The four formulas give 56.5 to 59.9 kg for a woman at that height.

Why do ideal weight calculators give different answers?

They use different formulas, rounding, or a single BMI like 22. Some also extend the formulas below 5 feet without saying so. This page shows every method so you can see where the gap comes from.

Does frame size change ideal weight?

This calculator doesn't ask for frame size, so it can't adjust for it. Muscle and bone structure can put a healthy person outside every formula's result.

Can I use ideal body weight for medication dosing?

Not from this page. Drug dosing may use total, lean, adjusted or ideal body weight depending on the medicine, and a prescriber or pharmacist must choose the method.

Does the calculator work for heights under 5 feet?

Partly. It shows the BMI range and the weight at your chosen BMI, but skips the four formulas because they were written for heights over 5 feet. Stretching them below that is guesswork.