Ideal Weight Calculator

Ideal weight is a rough reference for body weight at a given height. It is not a medical diagnosis, a body-composition test, or a universal goal.

NexaCalc treats ideal weight as a comparison problem, not a single answer. The primary adult result is the BMI-based healthy-weight range, while historical formulas are shown as separate estimates.

1. Choose Metric Units, US Units, or Other Units.
2. Enter age, the formula sex coefficient, and height.
3. Add current weight only if you want a neutral comparison.
4. Review the adult BMI range first, then compare formula estimates.
5. Use the notes and limitations before applying the result to real decisions.

The calculator converts height to meters and inches internally. Adult BMI range uses height in meters squared. Historical formulas use inches above 5 ft and male or female coefficients.

The adult BMI-based range is calculated from BMI 18.5 to 24.9. For a 175 cm adult, NexaCalc calculates about 56.7 to 76.3 kg.

BMI is a screening estimate. It does not measure muscle, bone, body-fat percentage, waist size, ethnicity-specific risk, medical history, or fitness level.

BMI 22 is shown as a single reference point inside the adult BMI range. For a 175 cm adult, BMI 22 is about 67.4 kg.

NexaCalc labels this as a reference, not a required weight target. Many people have healthy context above or below a midpoint-style number.

Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi are historical equations. They produce nearby but not identical estimates because each uses a different starting weight and per-inch coefficient.

For a male coefficient, age 30, and 175 cm height, the formula estimates range from about 68.7 kg to 72 kg. The average shown by the calculator is only a mathematical summary, not a medically preferred target.

Example 1: male coefficient, age 30, 70 kg current weight, 175 cm. The adult BMI-based range is 56.7 to 76.3 kg. BMI 22 is 67.4 kg, and the Devine estimate is about 70.5 kg.

Example 2: female coefficient, age 35, 5 ft 5 in. Height converts to about 165.1 cm. The adult BMI-based range is 50.4 to 67.9 kg, and BMI 22 is about 60 kg.

Example 3: female coefficient, age 30, 150 cm. The BMI-based range is still calculated as 41.6 to 56 kg, but historical formulas are not shown because the height is below 5 ft.

Current weight is optional. If entered, NexaCalc calculates current BMI and compares the weight against the adult BMI-based range and BMI 22 reference.

This comparison is intentionally neutral. It does not prescribe a weight change, predict health outcomes, or replace assessment by a qualified professional.

Ages 10 to 19 are handled differently from adults. The calculator can accept the inputs, but it does not show adult ideal-weight targets or adult BMI-range targets as personal goals.

For children and teens, BMI is usually interpreted with age-specific and sex-specific percentiles, growth patterns, and clinical context.

The historical formulas are written around inches above 5 ft. NexaCalc does not extrapolate those formulas below 5 ft because doing so would make the formula say something it was not designed to say.

For adult heights below 5 ft, the page can still show the BMI-based range and BMI 22 reference, with a clear formula availability warning.

Historical ideal body weight equations were developed partly for medication dosing contexts. This page must not be used to choose, change, or check medication doses.

Medication dosing depends on clinical context, kidney function, drug properties, body composition, diagnosis, and professional judgment.

Formula-based ideal weight may be less informative for highly muscular users, people with very low or very high body fat, older adults with height loss, pregnant users, people with limb differences, people with fluid retention, and people with medical conditions affecting weight or body composition.

For a fuller view, pair height-weight references with body composition, waist measurements, health history, activity level, nutrition context, and professional guidance when needed.

Ideal weight compares weight references for height. BMI screens weight relative to height. BMR estimates resting energy use, and TDEE estimates activity-adjusted daily energy expenditure.

• Pai MP, Paloucek FP. The Origin of the "Ideal" Body Weight Equations. Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 2000;34(9):1066-1069. DOI link.
• Robinson JD, Lupkiewicz SM, Palenik L, Lopez LM, Ariet M. Determination of Ideal Body Weight for Drug Dosage Calculations. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. 1983;40(6):1016-1019. DOI link.
• Lemmens HJM, Brodsky JB, Bernstein DP. Estimating Ideal Body Weight - A New Formula. Obesity Surgery. 2005;15:1082-1083. DOI link.
• Peterson CM, Thomas DM, Blackburn GL, Heymsfield SB. Universal equation for estimating ideal body weight and body weight at any BMI. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016;103:1197-1203. DOI link.
• CDC. Adult BMI Categories: adult BMI 18.5 to less than 25 is labeled healthy weight, and BMI is a screening measure. CDC source.
• CDC. Child and Teen BMI Categories: child and teen BMI is interpreted with BMI-for-age percentiles. CDC source.