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Ideal Weight Calculator

Ideal weight is less a single number than a corridor, and the formulas you have probably seen quoted are medical rules of thumb rather than verdicts on your body. This calculator presents three of the most published equations side by side, from the widely cited Devine formula to the later Robinson and Miller refinements, alongside a healthy range built from body mass index.

Enter values

All three equations anchor at 5 ft 0 in (152 cm)

Each equation starts from a different base weight per sex

Results update as you type.

Results

Ideal weight — Devine (1974)
65.9 kg
Robinson (1983)
65.2 kg
Miller (1983)
66 kg
Healthy weight range for this height
53.5 – 72 kg

How is the Ideal Weight calculated?

Each formula takes your height in centimetres and returns an ideal weight in kilograms, but they anchor differently. Devine starts from five feet and adds two point three kilograms per inch for men, or one point one for women. Robinson trims that with a slightly flatter slope, while Miller adds a little more weight per inch again. We also convert your height into a body mass index corridor of eighteen point five to twenty four point nine, which yields a range rather than a point.

Formula

Devine: men 50 + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft, women 45.5 + 1.1 kg per inch. Robinson: men 52 + 1.9 kg per inch, women 49.9 + 1.7 kg per inch. Miller: men 56.2 + 1.41 kg per inch, women 53.1 + 1.36 kg per inch. Range = BMI 18.5–24.9 applied to height in metres squared.

Example

For a man of 170 cm, one inch is 2.54 cm so he stands 66.93 inches tall, five of which are the starting foot. Devine gives 50 + 2.3 × (66.93 − 60) = 65.94 kg, Robinson gives 52 + 1.9 × 6.93 = 65.17 kg and Miller gives 56.2 + 1.41 × 6.93 = 65.97 kg. The BMI corridor for the same 1.7 m height spans 18.5 × 2.89 = 53.5 kg up to 24.9 × 2.89 = 72.0 kg, so all three formulas land comfortably inside a range almost nineteen kilos wide.

Things to remember

The three equations agree far more than they disagree, and their small spread shows how little precision any single ideal weight number deserves. Treat the formulas as a historical reference point and the BMI range as the practical corridor, then layer in your frame, muscle mass and how you actually feel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ideal weight formula is the most accurate?

The Devine formula is the most widely published and the one this calculator highlights, though all three were designed for medication dosing rather than body composition. For a personal target the BMI range around them is more informative than picking a winner.

Is there a single perfect weight for my height?

No, because body composition, frame size and muscle mass vary enormously between people of identical height. The formulas and the BMI corridor describe populations, not individuals, so an athlete can sit above the range while carrying very little fat.

How do I work out my healthy weight range?

The range comes from applying a body mass index of eighteen point five to twenty four point nine to your height in metres squared, which the calculator does for you. Someone one point seven metres tall therefore lands between about fifty three and seventy two kilograms.

Should I aim for the middle of the range?

Aiming near the middle is a sensible default, but the range exists precisely because good targets sit anywhere within it. Move slowly, at no more than half a kilo a week, and let your energy levels guide fine adjustments.

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