How much should I weigh for my height?

There is no single correct answer because ideal weight depends on height, sex, body frame size, muscle mass, and age. Four commonly used medical formulas give different estimates. For a 5'10" male: Hamwi = 172 lbs, Devine = 166 lbs, Robinson = 161 lbs, Miller = 159 lbs. The WHO healthy BMI range (18.5 to 24.9) gives 129 to 174 lbs for the same height. Use the range across formulas as a realistic target zone rather than a single number.

What are the ideal weight formulas?

All four major formulas share the same structure: a base weight at 5 feet tall plus a fixed increment per inch above 5 feet. Hamwi (1964): Males 48 kg + 2.7 kg/inch, Females 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg/inch. Devine (1974): Males 50 kg + 2.3 kg/inch, Females 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg/inch. Robinson (1983): Males 52 kg + 1.9 kg/inch, Females 49 kg + 1.7 kg/inch. Miller (1983): Males 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg/inch, Females 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg/inch.

Are ideal weight formulas accurate?

The formulas were developed for medical drug dosing, not general health targets. They only factor in height and sex and ignore muscle mass, bone density, age, ethnicity, and body composition. A highly muscular athlete could be well above formula IBW and be extremely healthy. These numbers are useful reference ranges, not clinical diagnoses.

Ideal Weight Calculator

Hamwi · Devine · Robinson · Miller · WHO BMI Range · Frame size adjustment · Step-by-step results

Sex

Height (feet)

Height (inches)

Current Weight (optional) ?

lbs

Body Frame Size (optional)

Wrist Circumference ?

inches

🎯 Enter your height and sex to see ideal weight estimates from four medical formulas and the WHO BMI healthy range.

Ideal Weight Range

128 - 166 lbs

5 ft 10 in male · WHO BMI 18.5 to 24.9

Formula Average

163 lbs

Formula Range

159 - 172 lbs

Frame Size

Not entered

Results by Formula

Formula	kg	lbs	Year

Formula Comparison Chart

The Four Ideal Weight Formulas

All four major ideal body weight formulas share the same structure: a base weight at exactly 5 feet tall, plus a fixed increment for every inch of height above 5 feet. The formulas differ in the base values and per-inch increments, reflecting different research populations and purposes.

Hamwi (1964)

Male: 48.0 kg + 2.7 kg per inch above 5 ft Female: 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch above 5 ft Example (5'10" male): 48 + (2.7 × 10) = 75 kg = 165.3 lbs

The oldest of the four formulas. G. J. Hamwi developed it in 1964 for estimating medication doses, particularly insulin, in clinical settings.

Devine (1974)

Male: 50.0 kg + 2.3 kg per inch above 5 ft Female: 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch above 5 ft Example (5'10" male): 50 + (2.3 × 10) = 73 kg = 160.9 lbs

The most widely used formula in clinical practice. B. J. Devine published it in 1974 primarily to calculate gentamicin doses. It became the default reference for ideal body weight in pharmacology and intensive care dosing.

Robinson (1983)

Male: 52.0 kg + 1.9 kg per inch above 5 ft Female: 49.0 kg + 1.7 kg per inch above 5 ft Example (5'10" male): 52 + (1.9 × 10) = 71 kg = 156.5 lbs

J. D. Robinson published this modification of the Devine formula in 1983. It uses a slightly higher base weight but lower per-inch increment, producing lower estimates for taller individuals.

Miller (1983)

Male: 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per inch above 5 ft Female: 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per inch above 5 ft Example (5'10" male): 56.2 + (1.41 × 10) = 70.3 kg = 155 lbs

Also published in 1983, D. R. Miller's formula gives the highest base weight but the smallest per-inch increment. It produces the lowest IBW for tall individuals and the highest for people close to 5 feet tall.

Body Frame Size and Ideal Weight

The four formulas only account for height and sex. Body frame size - the thickness and density of the skeleton - explains why two people of identical height and sex can have meaningfully different healthy weights. Frame size is estimated from wrist circumference relative to height.

For Women

Height	Small Frame	Medium Frame	Large Frame
Under 5'2"	Wrist < 5.5"	5.5" to 5.75"	> 5.75"
5'2" to 5'5"	Wrist < 6"	6" to 6.25"	> 6.25"
Over 5'5"	Wrist < 6.25"	6.25" to 6.5"	> 6.5"

For Men

Height	Small Frame	Medium Frame	Large Frame
Over 5'5"	Wrist 5.5" to 6.5"	6.5" to 7.5"	> 7.5"

Frame Size Adjustment

Large-framed individuals naturally carry more bone mass and can be healthy at the higher end of or slightly above formula estimates. Small-framed individuals may be healthy at the lower end. As a practical guide, adjust the formula average by approximately 10% in either direction for large or small frames respectively.

ℹ️

Wrist circumference is a proxy for frame size, not a perfect measure. Actual bone density and skeletal thickness vary independently. Frame size is one factor among many and should not override clinical judgment.

Limitations of Ideal Weight Formulas

All four formulas were designed for a narrow purpose - estimating medication doses - and have important limitations when applied to general health guidance:

Height and sex only: No formula accounts for muscle mass, body fat percentage, age, ethnicity, or bone density. A competitive powerlifter may be 20 to 30 pounds above formula IBW with virtually no excess body fat.
No adjustment for height extremes: The formulas assume a linear relationship between height and healthy weight that does not hold at the extremes. Very short people (< 5'0") may be over-estimated; very tall people (> 6'5") may be under-estimated.
Binary sex assumption: The formulas use fixed male/female categories. Intersex individuals, people on hormone therapy, and those with atypical body compositions may fall outside the formula assumptions.
Age not considered: Lean muscle mass declines with age and body fat typically increases. A 70-year-old at "ideal weight" by these formulas may have a higher body fat percentage than the same weight at age 30.

⚠️

Ideal body weight formulas are population averages used as clinical reference values. They are not targets to pursue at the expense of health. Individual variation is significant enough that many healthy people fall outside these ranges. The most reliable health assessment combines BMI, body fat percentage, waist circumference, physical fitness, and metabolic markers - not any single formula.

Ideal Weight for Height Reference

Height	Devine (Male)	Devine (Female)	WHO BMI Range
5'0" (152 cm)	50.0 kg / 110 lbs	45.5 kg / 100 lbs	43 to 58 kg
5'2" (157 cm)	54.6 kg / 120 lbs	50.1 kg / 110 lbs	45 to 61 kg
5'4" (163 cm)	59.2 kg / 131 lbs	54.7 kg / 121 lbs	49 to 66 kg
5'6" (168 cm)	63.8 kg / 141 lbs	59.3 kg / 131 lbs	52 to 71 kg
5'8" (173 cm)	68.4 kg / 151 lbs	63.9 kg / 141 lbs	56 to 76 kg
5'10" (178 cm)	73.0 kg / 161 lbs	68.5 kg / 151 lbs	58 to 79 kg
6'0" (183 cm)	77.6 kg / 171 lbs	73.1 kg / 161 lbs	63 to 85 kg
6'2" (188 cm)	82.2 kg / 181 lbs	77.7 kg / 171 lbs	65 to 88 kg

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ideal weight formula is most accurate?

No single formula is universally most accurate. The Devine formula is most widely used in clinical and pharmacological settings. Robinson and Miller tend to give lower estimates, particularly for taller individuals. The WHO BMI range (18.5 to 24.9) is the broadest and most clinically validated approach. Using the average across all four formulas, or the midpoint of the BMI range, is more robust than relying on any single formula.

Does ideal weight change with age?

The formulas themselves do not change with age after full skeletal maturity (approximately 16 to 18 years). However, body composition changes with age: muscle mass decreases and body fat tends to increase. Some research suggests that slightly higher BMI values (around 25 to 27) are associated with lower mortality risk in adults over 65, partly because some extra weight may reflect preserved muscle mass and bone density.

I am very muscular. Should I ignore ideal weight formulas?

Not ignore them, but weight them less heavily. Highly muscular athletes commonly exceed formula IBW by 10 to 25 pounds or more while having low body fat percentages and excellent metabolic health. For people with significant muscle mass, body fat percentage measurement (DEXA, Navy method, skinfold calipers) is a far more informative metric than either IBW or BMI. A bodybuilder at 220 lbs and 8% body fat is substantially leaner and healthier than someone at the same weight with 30% body fat.

What is the difference between ideal weight and healthy weight?

Ideal body weight (IBW) from the Hamwi/Devine/Robinson/Miller formulas gives a single point estimate based on height and sex. Healthy weight is a range - typically the weight corresponding to a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. For a 5'10" male, the formula IBW is around 160 to 172 lbs, while the healthy BMI range spans 129 to 174 lbs. The range is more realistic and accounts for normal variation in frame size and body composition that a single formula number cannot capture.