What Is Considered a Healthy Ideal Weight for Height and Age
Quick Take
"Ideal weight" depends on height, age, sex, and body frame. The Hamwi formula estimates a baseline: for men, 106 lb for the first 5 feet plus 6 lb per additional inch; for women, 100 lb for the first 5 feet plus 5 lb per inch. Add 10% for a large frame, subtract 10% for a small frame. BMI-based ranges provide a broader healthy weight interval for each height.
Ask five people what their "ideal weight" should be and you will get five different answers. Some will cite a number from a magazine article. Others will point to a chart at their doctor's office. A few might pull up a calculator on their phone. The concept of ideal weight is slippery because it depends on who you ask, when you ask them, and what they are trying to achieve.
From a public health perspective, the "healthy weight" range is defined by BMI — the 18.5 to 24.9 range that the WHO and CDC consider lowest risk for metabolic disease. But BMI does not account for muscle mass, frame size, or age-related changes in body composition. For a more personalized estimate, several ideal body weight formulas have been developed over the decades, each with different strengths and limitations.
Want a quick calculation? Use the Ideal Body Weight Calculator to compare multiple formulas simultaneously. The Standard Weight Chart shows BMI-based healthy weight ranges at common heights. For a more complete assessment, the BMI Calculator gives you your current classification.
The Major Ideal Body Weight Formulas
Several formulas have emerged over the past century, each derived from different population datasets and using slightly different assumptions. None is perfect, but together they provide a range of reasonable estimates for most adults.
The Hamwi Formula (1964)
Developed by Dr. G.J. Hamwi in 1964 for use in evaluating ideal body weight for patients with diabetes. It remains one of the most widely cited formulas in clinical nutrition:
Men: 106 lb for the first 5 feet of height + 6 lb for each additional inch
Women: 100 lb for the first 5 feet of height + 5 lb for each additional inch
Example: For a man standing 5 feet 10 inches (70 inches): 106 + (6 × 10) = 166 lb. For a woman at the same height: 100 + (5 × 10) = 150 lb.
The Devine Formula (1974)
Proposed by B.J. Devine in 1974 and based on the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company's 1960 height-weight tables, which were themselves derived from mortality data. The Devine formula is simpler and more widely used in the pharmaceutical industry for dosing calculations:
Men: 50 kg for the first 5 feet + 2.3 kg per additional inch
Women: 45.5 kg for the first 5 feet + 2.3 kg per additional inch
In imperial units, this works out to approximately 110 lb for men and 100 lb for women at 5 feet, plus about 5.1 lb per inch for both. The Devine formula tends to produce slightly lower estimates than Hamwi for taller individuals.
The Miller Formula (1983)
Published in 1983, the Miller formula adjusted the earlier formulas based on updated Metropolitan Life Insurance data from 1983:
Men: 56.2 kg for the first 5 feet + 1.41 kg per cm above 152.4 cm
Women: 53.1 kg for the first 5 feet + 1.36 kg per cm above 152.4 cm
The Robinson Formula (1983)
Also from 1983, the Robinson formula was developed using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and accounts for age as a variable — making it more relevant for older adults whose body composition changes with age:
Men (age-based): 52 kg + 1.9 kg per inch over 5 feet (up to 6 feet)
Women (age-based): 49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch over 5 feet (up to 6 feet)
Comparing the Formulas
Here is how the four formulas compare for a 5'10" (70-inch) adult:
| Formula | Men (5'10") | Women (5'10") |
|---|---|---|
| Hamwi (1964) | 166 lb | 150 lb |
| Devine (1974) | 164 lb | 149 lb |
| Miller (1983) | 163 lb | 149 lb |
| Robinson (1983) | 160 lb | 146 lb |
As you can see, the estimates cluster within a 4-6 lb range for each sex. The Robinson formula tends to give the lowest estimates because it was calibrated against NHANES data that included older individuals with less lean mass.
BMI-Based Healthy Weight Ranges
While ideal body weight formulas produce single-number estimates, BMI-based ranges provide a more flexible and evidence-based healthy weight interval. Since BMI = (weight × 703) / (height in inches)², you can calculate the weight range corresponding to the "normal" BMI category (18.5 to 24.9) for any height:
| Height | BMI 18.5 (Min Healthy) | BMI 24.9 (Max Healthy) | Healthy Weight Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5'0" (60 in) | 97 lb | 130 lb | 97 – 130 lb |
| 5'4" (64 in) | 111 lb | 149 lb | 111 – 149 lb |
| 5'6" (66 in) | 118 lb | 158 lb | 118 – 158 lb |
| 5'8" (68 in) | 125 lb | 168 lb | 125 – 168 lb |
| 5'10" (70 in) | 132 lb | 178 lb | 132 – 178 lb |
| 6'0" (72 in) | 140 lb | 188 lb | 140 – 188 lb |
| 6'2" (74 in) | 147 lb | 199 lb | 147 – 199 lb |
This range is wide — nearly 30 to 50 pounds at most heights — which underscores an important point: there is no single "ideal" weight. Two people of the same height can both be at a healthy weight yet look quite different based on their body composition.
Frame Size Adjustments
Your skeletal frame size affects how much weight you naturally carry. The Hamwi formula accounts for frame size by suggesting a 10% adjustment: add 10% for a large frame, subtract 10% for a small frame. But how do you determine your frame size?
Wrist circumference method: Measure your wrist at the narrowest point. For men, a wrist under 6.75 inches indicates a small frame, 6.75 to 7.25 inches is medium, and over 7.25 inches is large. For women, under 5.5 inches is small, 5.5 to 6.0 inches is medium, and over 6.0 inches is large.
Height-to-wrist ratio: Divide your height in inches by your wrist circumference. For men, a ratio above 10.4 indicates a small frame, 9.6 to 10.4 is medium, and below 9.6 is large. For women, above 11.0 is small, 10.1 to 11.0 is medium, and below 10.1 is large.
Age-Related Considerations
Your body composition naturally changes as you age. After age 30, lean muscle mass gradually decreases (a process called sarcopenia), while body fat may increase even if your weight stays the same. This means that the same BMI value at age 60 represents less muscle and more fat than it did at age 30.
The Robinson formula partially accounts for this by using NHANES data that includes older adults. For individuals over 65, a slightly higher BMI (up to 27) may be associated with better health outcomes than the "normal" range, according to a 2022 study in the journal Age and Ageing. This does not mean obesity is healthy in older adults — rather, it suggests that very low body weight in older age may be problematic due to reduced muscle mass and bone density.
Muscle Mass and the "Athlete Exception"
Athletes and physically trained individuals often weigh significantly more than the "ideal weight" formulas predict while maintaining excellent health. A 5'10" male bodybuilder at 210 pounds would have a BMI of about 30.1 — technically obese by standard classifications — yet his body fat percentage might be 15% or lower. The Body Fat Calculator provides a more accurate assessment for individuals with significant muscle mass.
For trained athletes, tracking body fat percentage and lean body mass (using the Lean Body Mass Calculator) is more meaningful than aiming for an "ideal weight" number. The Body Age Calculator can also provide insights into how your body composition compares to chronological age expectations.