What Is an Ideal Weight Calculator?
An ideal weight calculator estimates the body weight range associated with good health for a given height and sex. Rather than giving a single "target" number, this calculator runs five different validated formulas and shows you all of them — because each was developed from a different study population, and none is universally correct for every person.
The practical value is in the range, not any single figure. For a 5'9" male, the four formula-based results span 68.7–72.0 kg (151.6–158.8 lbs) — a 3.3 kg (7.2 lb) band. The BMI healthy range (56.7–76.3 kg) is wider. Somewhere in the overlap is a reasonable personal target — adjusted further for your actual body composition, age, and fitness level.
How to Use This Calculator
- Select your biological sex — the formulas use different constants for male and female
- Choose metric or imperial — metric uses centimeters, imperial uses feet and inches
- Enter your height — measure without shoes; accuracy here directly affects every output
- Click "Calculate My Ideal Weight" to see the average of 4 formulas, the healthy BMI range, and each formula's individual result
The 5 Formulas This Calculator Uses
All four formula-based methods were originally developed for clinical settings — estimating "ideal body weight" for drug dosing and anesthesia purposes, not as fitness targets. They've since been adopted more broadly, despite being based on relatively small study populations from the 1960s–1980s. The BMI range (fifth method) is the most current and population-validated approach:
Male Ideal Weight by Height — All 5 Methods
Every value below is individually calculated using each formula. No row is interpolated or estimated from adjacent rows:
| Height | Devine | Robinson | Miller | Hamwi | BMI Range | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5'5" (165 cm) | 61.4 kg | 61.4 kg | 63.2 kg | 61.4 kg | 50.4–67.8 kg | 61.9 kg |
| 5'7" (170 cm) | 65.9 kg | 65.2 kg | 66.0 kg | 66.7 kg | 53.5–72.0 kg | 65.9 kg |
| 5'9" (175 cm) | 70.5 kg | 68.9 kg | 68.7 kg | 72.0 kg | 56.7–76.3 kg | 70.0 kg |
| 5'10" (178 cm) | 73.2 kg | 71.1 kg | 70.4 kg | 75.2 kg | 58.6–78.9 kg | 72.5 kg |
| 6'0" (183 cm) | 77.7 kg | 74.9 kg | 73.2 kg | 80.5 kg | 62.0–83.4 kg | 76.6 kg |
| 6'2" (188 cm) | 82.2 kg | 78.6 kg | 76.0 kg | 85.8 kg | 65.4–88.0 kg | 80.7 kg |
All weights in kg. Multiply by 2.205 to convert to lbs. All formulas assume height above 5'0" (152 cm).
Female Ideal Weight by Height — All 5 Methods
| Height | Devine | Robinson | Miller | Hamwi | BMI Range | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5'3" (160 cm) | 52.4 kg | 54.1 kg | 57.2 kg | 52.1 kg | 47.4–63.7 kg | 53.9 kg |
| 5'5" (165 cm) | 56.9 kg | 57.4 kg | 59.8 kg | 56.4 kg | 50.4–67.8 kg | 57.7 kg |
| 5'6" (168 cm) | 59.6 kg | 59.4 kg | 61.5 kg | 59.0 kg | 52.2–70.3 kg | 59.9 kg |
| 5'7" (170 cm) | 61.4 kg | 60.8 kg | 62.5 kg | 60.7 kg | 53.5–72.0 kg | 61.4 kg |
| 5'9" (175 cm) | 66.0 kg | 64.1 kg | 65.2 kg | 65.1 kg | 56.7–76.3 kg | 65.1 kg |
| 5'10" (178 cm) | 68.7 kg | 66.1 kg | 66.8 kg | 67.7 kg | 58.6–78.9 kg | 67.3 kg |
All weights in kg. All formulas assume height above 5'0" (152 cm).
Why Do the Four Formulas Give Different Results?
Each formula was derived from a different study population in a different decade, which is why they disagree. Hamwi (1964) was designed for diabetes management and tends to give higher results. Miller (1983) produces the lowest values for taller individuals because it uses a smaller per-inch increment (1.41 vs Hamwi's 2.7). Devine (1974) and Robinson (1983) fall between the two extremes.
For a 5'9" male, the spread is 68.7–72.0 kg — a range of 3.3 kg (7.2 lbs). All four values fall within the healthy BMI range of 56.7–76.3 kg, so the disagreement between formulas isn't medically meaningful. The formulas converge much more closely in women: for a 5'5" female, the spread is only 56.4–59.8 kg (3.4 kg / 7.5 lbs). In practice, being anywhere within the range that overlaps all four formulas is a reasonable target.
BMI Range vs Formula Results — How They Compare
The BMI healthy range (18.5–24.9) is the broadest of the five methods because it represents a population-level distribution rather than a single point estimate. For most heights, the four formula results cluster near the middle of the BMI range — suggesting they implicitly target a BMI around 21–23, which is consistent with health research showing lowest mortality risk in that zone.
| Height | Formula Average | BMI 18.5 Low | BMI 24.9 High | Where Average Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male 5'9" (175 cm) | 70.0 kg | 56.7 kg | 76.3 kg | BMI ≈ 22.9 — upper-middle |
| Male 6'0" (183 cm) | 76.6 kg | 62.0 kg | 83.4 kg | BMI ≈ 22.9 — upper-middle |
| Female 5'5" (165 cm) | 57.7 kg | 50.4 kg | 67.8 kg | BMI ≈ 21.2 — lower-middle |
| Female 5'7" (170 cm) | 61.4 kg | 53.5 kg | 72.0 kg | BMI ≈ 21.2 — lower-middle |
Notice the formula averages consistently land at a BMI of roughly 21–23 — not at the extremes of the healthy range. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2016) found lowest all-cause mortality at BMI 20–25, which aligns closely with where the formula averages fall. The BMI range's upper end (24.9) is not a target — it is the boundary of normal.
5 Practical Ways to Use Your Ideal Weight Result
- Use the formula average as a general reference, not a strict goal. A 5'9" male with significant muscle mass at 78 kg may be healthier than a sedentary male at 70 kg — even though 70 kg is the "average ideal." Body composition matters more than the number on the scale.
- Check where your current weight sits relative to the BMI range. The BMI range (56.7–76.3 kg for a 5'9" male) gives you the full medically validated zone. If you're within this range, your weight is not a health risk on its own. If you're above 76.3 kg at this height, that's the relevant threshold — not any formula's specific point estimate.
- Set staged targets, not final destination goals. If a 5'9" male is currently at 95 kg (BMI 31), the goal isn't to immediately aim for 70 kg. A 5–10% reduction to 85.5 kg produces measurable metabolic improvements and is far more achievable as a first milestone. Each milestone can be recalculated from current weight.
- Pair this with a body fat percentage measurement. The formulas say nothing about what your weight is made of. A male at 72 kg and 5'9" could be at 15% body fat (Fitness category) or 25% body fat (Obese category) — same scale weight, completely different health picture. The Body Fat Calculator adds the dimension these formulas miss.
- Adjust for age when you're over 60. Research suggests slightly higher BMI ranges — around 23–27 — may be associated with lower mortality in adults over 65. Muscle mass naturally declines with age, and a BMI of 24 at age 70 often reflects less lean mass than the same BMI at age 35. Discuss your personal target with a healthcare provider if you're in this age range.
Reference: CDC — Assessing Your Weight | NIH — BMI Calculator and Guidelines