100% Free No Sign-Up Unlimited Use No Limits Secure & Private
PDF Tools Calculators Categories Guides Contact No Sign-Up Needed to Use This Site
Note: These formulas estimate a single-point ideal weight. A healthy BMI range (18.5–24.9) provides a wider, more realistic target. These do not account for muscle mass or frame size.
FormulaYearBasis
Robinson1983Height & sex
Miller1983Height & sex
Devine1974Clinical drug dosing
Hamwi1964Frame-size standard
Average Ideal Weight
Average of all four formulas
Robinson (1983)
Miller (1983)
Devine (1974)
Hamwi
Healthy BMI Weight Range (18.5 – 24.9)
Formula kg lbs vs Average
Enter your height to see results

See your estimated ideal body weight from four long-used clinical formulas — Robinson, Miller, Devine, and Hamwi — alongside the wider, more realistic healthy BMI weight range.

How It Works

How Ideal Weight Calculator Works

All four formulas share the same basic structure: a base weight for 5 feet of height, plus a fixed amount added for every inch above that. For men, Robinson (1983) uses 52 kg + 1.9 kg/inch, Miller (1983) uses 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg/inch, Devine (1974) uses 50 kg + 2.3 kg/inch, and Hamwi uses 106 lbs + 6 lbs/inch (converted to kg). Female versions use different base weights and per-inch increments, generally producing lower figures for the same height.

These formulas were originally developed for clinical purposes like drug dosing (Devine) or nutritional assessment (Hamwi) rather than as fitness targets, which is why they produce a single "ideal" number rather than a range — and why they don't account for frame size, muscle mass, or individual body composition.

Because a single-point target can be misleading, the calculator also shows the healthy BMI weight range (18.5–24.9) for your height, which is generally considered a more realistic and clinically useful target than any single ideal-weight formula alone.

Worked Example

See It In Action

For a man who is 175 cm (5'9") tall, the four formulas give: Robinson 68.9 kg, Miller 68.7 kg, Devine 70.5 kg, and Hamwi 72.3 kg — an average of about 70.1 kg (154.6 lbs). His healthy BMI weight range for that height is considerably wider: roughly 56.7–76.3 kg (124.9–168.1 lbs).
Real-World Use Cases

Who Uses Ideal Weight Calculator and Why

  • Getting a general reference point for weight when starting a new health or fitness goal.
  • Comparing several long-used clinical formulas side by side instead of relying on just one.
  • Understanding how a single "ideal weight" figure compares to the wider healthy BMI range for the same height.
Common Mistakes

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Fixating on hitting the exact average of the four formulas as a personal target — none of the four accounts for muscle mass, frame size, or individual body composition.
  • Not realizing these formulas were built for specific clinical purposes (like Devine for medication dosing) rather than as general fitness or aesthetic goals.
  • Ignoring the wider healthy BMI range shown alongside the four point estimates, which is usually the more practical target to sit within.
Pro Tips

Tips for Best Results

  • Treat the four-formula average as a rough midpoint reference, and aim to land anywhere within the healthy BMI range shown next to it rather than one exact number.
  • If you know you carry more muscle than average, expect your actual healthy weight to run above these formulas' estimates — pair this result with a body fat calculator for better context.
Troubleshooting

Fixing Common Problems

The four formulas gave noticeably different numbers. — That's expected — each formula was developed decades apart by different researchers using different reference populations. None is definitively correct; use the range they collectively suggest rather than any single value.

Glossary

Terms Explained

Ideal body weight (IBW): A single-point weight estimate for a given height, originally developed for clinical uses like drug dosing rather than as a general fitness target.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do the four formulas disagree with each other?
Each was developed by a different researcher using a different reference population and rounding approach, decades apart. None is definitively "correct" — they are best used together, as a general range, rather than trusting any single formula's output as exact.
Should I aim for the exact average of all four formulas?
Not necessarily. These formulas estimate a population average for your height and don't account for your individual muscle mass, bone density, or frame size — the healthy BMI range shown alongside them is usually a more practical target to aim within.
Why was the Devine formula originally created?
Devine (1974) was designed for calculating medication dosages based on body weight in clinical settings, not as a fitness or aesthetic ideal — which is a good reminder that "ideal weight" formulas often have origins unrelated to general health goals.
Does this account for muscle mass?
No — none of these four formulas factor in body composition, so a muscular, low-body-fat individual may weigh well above their "ideal" figure while still being at a healthy body fat percentage. Use this alongside body fat or BMI context rather than in isolation.