What's Your Ideal
Weight?
Get your ideal weight range using 4 scientific formulas — personalised for your height, gender, and body frame. Free, instant, no sign-up.
Wrap your dominant hand's thumb and middle finger around your opposite wrist to find your frame:
What Is Ideal Body Weight?
Ideal body weight (IBW) is the weight range considered healthy and optimal for a person of a given height, gender, and body frame. It is not a single number — it is a range, calculated using scientific formulas developed through clinical research.
Unlike BMI which measures weight relative to height alone, ideal weight formulas were designed specifically to estimate healthy weight targets for medical purposes — from calculating medication doses to setting realistic weight loss goals.
The 4 Formulas We Use
Our calculator uses all four major ideal weight formulas and gives you the combined range:
| Formula | Year | Male base (5ft) | Female base (5ft) | Per inch over 5ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robinson | 1983 | 52 kg | 49 kg | M: +1.9 kg / F: +1.7 kg |
| Miller | 1983 | 56.2 kg | 53.1 kg | M: +1.41 kg / F: +1.36 kg |
| Devine | 1974 | 50 kg | 45.5 kg | M: +2.3 kg / F: +2.3 kg |
| Hamwi | 1964 | 48 kg | 45.5 kg | M: +2.7 kg / F: +2.2 kg |
No single formula is perfect for everyone. Using all four gives you a realistic range rather than a misleading single number.
Ideal Weight by Height — Reference Table
The table below shows approximate ideal weight ranges for adults with a medium frame using the Robinson formula:
| Height | Ideal Weight (Male) | Ideal Weight (Female) |
|---|---|---|
| 5'0" (152 cm) | 52 kg (115 lbs) | 49 kg (108 lbs) |
| 5'2" (157 cm) | 56 kg (123 lbs) | 52 kg (115 lbs) |
| 5'4" (163 cm) | 60 kg (132 lbs) | 56 kg (123 lbs) |
| 5'6" (168 cm) | 63 kg (139 lbs) | 59 kg (130 lbs) |
| 5'7" (170 cm) | 65 kg (143 lbs) | 61 kg (134 lbs) |
| 5'8" (173 cm) | 67 kg (148 lbs) | 62 kg (137 lbs) |
| 5'10" (178 cm) | 71 kg (157 lbs) | 66 kg (145 lbs) |
| 6'0" (183 cm) | 75 kg (165 lbs) | 70 kg (154 lbs) |
How Body Frame Size Affects Ideal Weight
Body frame size refers to the size of your bone structure. People with larger frames naturally weigh more — even at the same height and body fat percentage. Our calculator adjusts the ideal weight range by:
- Small frame: −8% from medium frame ideal weight
- Medium frame: baseline result
- Large frame: +8% from medium frame ideal weight
To estimate your frame size: wrap your dominant hand's thumb and middle finger around your opposite wrist. If fingers overlap → small frame. Fingers just touch → medium frame. Fingers don't meet → large frame.
Ideal Weight for Pakistanis
Average heights in Pakistan are:
- Pakistani men: approximately 5'7" (170 cm)
- Pakistani women: approximately 5'2" (157 cm)
Based on the Robinson formula with a medium frame, this gives:
- Pakistani men (5'7"): ideal weight approximately 62–68 kg
- Pakistani women (5'2"): ideal weight approximately 50–56 kg
Note that South Asian health guidelines recommend a lower overweight BMI threshold (23 instead of 25), which means ideal weight targets may be slightly lower than standard Western formulas suggest. Use the calculator above for your specific height.
Ideal Weight vs BMI: What's the Difference?
BMI (Body Mass Index) tells you whether your current weight puts you in an underweight, normal, overweight, or obese category. It compares weight to height.
Ideal weight tells you what you should weigh for your height. It gives you a target rather than a category.
Both are useful, but neither measures body fat directly. A muscular person may be "overweight" by BMI but within their ideal weight range. Always use these tools as guides, not absolute rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a 5'7" (170 cm) male with a medium frame, the ideal weight range across the four formulas is approximately 62–72 kg (137–159 lbs). Robinson gives 65 kg, Miller 64 kg, Devine 69 kg, and Hamwi 66 kg. Enter your exact height in the calculator above to get your personalised range.
For a 5'4" (163 cm) woman with a medium frame, the ideal weight range is approximately 54–64 kg (119–141 lbs). Robinson gives 56 kg, Miller 55 kg, Devine 56 kg, and Hamwi 56 kg. Frame size adjustments of ±8% apply for small or large frames.
They are similar but not identical. Ideal weight formulas were developed primarily for medical dosing and clinical use. Healthy weight is typically defined as a BMI of 18.5–24.9. In most cases the results overlap, but a muscular or athletic person may be above "ideal weight" while still being perfectly healthy.
No single formula is universally most accurate — they were each developed for different purposes. Robinson (1983) is considered the most balanced and is widely used clinically. Devine (1974) was originally designed for drug dosing. Miller (1983) tends to give slightly lower estimates. Using all four and taking the range gives the most realistic picture.
It depends on your gender and body frame. As a general guide: for every 2.5 cm (1 inch) of height above 152 cm (5 feet), add approximately 1.7–2.3 kg to the base weight of 49–52 kg. Use the calculator above for a precise personalised answer in kg or lbs.
Also try our other free health tools
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