Finding a healthy weight target is a common goal for people starting fitness or nutrition plans. However, there is no single "perfect" weight that applies to everyone of the same height. This tool estimates ideal weight values using standard clinical formulas and calculates the broader healthy weight ranges recommended by global health organizations.
Historically, ideal weight formulas were not created to serve as aesthetic benchmarks. Instead, they were developed in the 1970s by clinical researchers to help doctors calculate correct medication dosages.
Many medications (including anesthesia, cardiovascular drugs, and chemotherapy) distribute through lean tissues rather than fat tissue. Calculating dosages based on total body weight could lead to toxic overdoses in patients with high body fat. Therefore, clinicians needed a quick way to estimate lean body mass from height and gender alone.
To plan your target daily calorie needs based on weight targets, try our daily calorie energy planner. To check your daily macronutrient targets, check out our macronutrient ratios helper.
The most popular formula used in clinical settings is the Devine formula:
- Adult Male:
Ideal Weight = 50.0 kg + 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet (152.4 cm)
- Adult Female:
Ideal Weight = 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet (152.4 cm)
For kids under 20, the tool shifts to CDC pediatric BMI-for-age percentiles, calculating a healthy range between the 5th and 85th percentiles. To check if your weight fits standard health proportions, see our Body Mass Index classifier. To check your body fat percentage, see our body fat percentage calculator.
It is important to remember that a single ideal weight number is an estimate. Frame size, muscle mass, and bone density vary widely.
Therefore, health experts recommend focusing on a healthy weight range rather than a single number. For adults, the healthy range spans from a BMI of 18.5 up to 24.9. Staying inside this range reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and joint strain.
Furthermore, standard formulas do not distinguish between lean body mass and fat tissue. Muscular individuals who carry substantial muscle mass (like bodybuilders or athletes) will naturally weigh more than what the Devine formula estimates, yet remain in excellent physical condition. Thus, these estimates should be treated as general guidelines rather than absolute clinical limits.
To check your baseline energy burn, visit our basal metabolic rate planner. For translating metric height into feet and inches, check out our measurement conversion tools.
Suppose an adult female is 165 cm (5 feet 5 inches) tall.
First, calculate the height excess over 5 feet: - 5 feet is 152.4 cm. - Excess: 165 - 152.4 = 12.6 cm, which is approximately 5 inches.
Plug into the female Devine formula: - Ideal Weight = 45.5 kg + (2.3 kg × 5) - Ideal Weight = 45.5 + 11.5 = 57.0 kg (approximately 125.7 lbs).
This serves as the baseline adult ideal weight estimate, showing how height directly maps to mass. To check ratio proportions, try our relative ratio solver.