Ideal Weight Calculator
Enter your height and sex to see a healthy weight range for your height, plus a classic single-number ideal-weight estimate.
There's no single "correct" weight for a given height — healthy bodies come in a range. The most useful answer is a healthy weight range, which this calculator derives from the normal BMI band. For those who want one number, it also shows the classic Devine ideal-weight formula that doctors have long used for reference.
How healthy weight range is calculated
A body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered the normal range. Applying those limits to your height gives the healthy weight range.
Healthy range = 18.5 × height² to 24.9 × height²
| BMI | Category |
|---|---|
| Below 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 – 24.9 | Healthy weight |
| 25.0 – 29.9 | Overweight |
| 30.0 and above | Obese |
The Devine ideal weight formula
Originally created to help calculate medication doses, the Devine formula gives a single reference weight from height. It's widely cited but tends to run lean and doesn't account for build, so treat it as one data point alongside the healthy range.
Women: 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg × (inches over 5 ft)
Worked example
A man 5 ft 10 in (178 cm, 1.78 m) tall:
| Healthy range = 18.5 × 1.78² to 24.9 × 1.78² | 59 – 79 kg (129–174 lb) |
| Devine = 50 + 2.3 × 10 | 73 kg (161 lb) |
Why weight isn't the whole story
Weight and BMI don't distinguish muscle from fat, so a very muscular person can read as "overweight" while being lean. They also don't capture where fat is stored, which matters for health. Use the healthy range as a guide, not a verdict, and pair it with measures like waist circumference or body fat percentage for a fuller picture.