Ideal Weight Calculator
Estimate a reference body weight range from your height, using the Devine formula — a population-level reference point, not a personal medical target.
What this calculator does and doesn't tell you
This calculator estimates a reference body weight using the Devine formula, originally developed in 1974 to help standardize medication dosing calculations, not as a personal health target. It does not account for muscle mass, bone structure, body composition, or individual health status — a muscular, athletic person will often weigh well above this number while being perfectly healthy.
The formula
Devine formula (result in kg, height converted from cm to inches, using inches over 60):
- Men: 50 + 2.3 × (height in inches − 60)
- Women: 45.5 + 2.3 × (height in inches − 60)
For someone under 5 feet (60 inches) tall, the formula's base value (50 kg or 45.5 kg) applies without the height adjustment.
Worked example
A 170 cm tall man: 170 cm ÷ 2.54 = 66.9 inches. 66.9 − 60 = 6.9. 50 + 2.3 × 6.9 = 50 + 15.9 = 65.9 kg. The calculator also shows an approximate ±10% range around this figure, since a single point estimate overstates precision the formula doesn't actually have.
Why there are other formulas
The Devine formula is one of several "ideal weight" formulas used historically (others include Robinson, Miller and Hamwi), and they all give slightly different numbers for the same height because they were derived differently. None of them account for frame size, sex-specific fat distribution beyond a flat offset, or muscle mass — which is why BMI-based ranges (see the BMI Calculator) and body composition tools (see Body Fat Calculator) are often used alongside, not instead of, an ideal-weight formula.
Important limitation
This is a population-level reference number from a 50-year-old dosing formula, not a personalized medical recommendation. A healthy weight for you depends on your frame, muscle mass, age, and overall health — talk to a healthcare provider for guidance specific to you rather than relying on any single formula.
Frequently asked questions
Not exactly — this is a single-point reference value from a formula originally built for medication dosing, not a personalized healthy-weight recommendation. Your actual healthy weight range depends on frame size, muscle mass and overall health.
Because that's all the Devine formula uses. It doesn't factor in age, frame size or muscle mass, which is exactly why the result should be treated as a rough reference, not a target.
The formula gives a single point value, but real bodies vary — the ±10% range reflects that natural variation better than a false-precision single number.
It's not particularly useful for athletes or anyone with above-average muscle mass, since muscle weighs more than fat and this formula doesn't distinguish between the two.