Ideal Weight for Your Height
"Ideal weight" is one of the most searched health questions online — and one of the most misunderstood. Here's what the charts actually show, how they're calculated, and why your number is a range, not a single target.
Ideal Weight Charts by Height
The ranges below are based on a healthy BMI of 18.5–24.9, the standard used by the WHO and most health organisations worldwide.
| Height | Min weight | Max weight | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 cm | 42 kg | 56 kg | 49 kg |
| 155 cm | 44 kg | 60 kg | 52 kg |
| 160 cm | 47 kg | 64 kg | 56 kg |
| 165 cm | 50 kg | 68 kg | 59 kg |
| 170 cm | 53 kg | 72 kg | 63 kg |
| 175 cm | 57 kg | 76 kg | 67 kg |
| 180 cm | 60 kg | 81 kg | 70 kg |
| 185 cm | 63 kg | 85 kg | 74 kg |
| 190 cm | 67 kg | 90 kg | 78 kg |
| 195 cm | 70 kg | 95 kg | 82 kg |
| Height | Min weight | Max weight | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4'11" | 92 lbs | 123 lbs | 107 lbs |
| 5'1" | 98 lbs | 132 lbs | 115 lbs |
| 5'3" | 104 lbs | 141 lbs | 122 lbs |
| 5'5" | 111 lbs | 149 lbs | 130 lbs |
| 5'7" | 118 lbs | 159 lbs | 138 lbs |
| 5'9" | 125 lbs | 168 lbs | 147 lbs |
| 5'11" | 133 lbs | 178 lbs | 156 lbs |
| 6'1" | 140 lbs | 188 lbs | 164 lbs |
| 6'3" | 148 lbs | 199 lbs | 173 lbs |
| 6'5" | 156 lbs | 209 lbs | 183 lbs |
How Is Ideal Weight Calculated?
There is no single universally agreed formula. The most common methods are:
- BMI method: Ideal weight = 18.5–24.9 × height(m)². This is the basis of the charts above and the most widely used approach.
- Devine formula (1974): Men: 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet. Women: 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet. Originally developed for drug dosing, not fitness.
- Robinson formula (1983): Men: 52 kg + 1.9 kg per inch over 5 feet. Women: 49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch over 5 feet. Slightly lower than Devine's.
- Miller formula (1983): Men: 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per inch over 5 feet. Women: 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per inch over 5 feet.
Most of these formulas differ by only 2–4 kg at any given height, and all produce a single midpoint number rather than a range. The BMI method is preferred here because it gives a realistic range and has the strongest population health evidence behind it.
BMI vs Ideal Weight — What's the Difference?
They measure the same thing in different formats. BMI is a ratio (weight ÷ height²) that gives you a number between roughly 15 and 40. Ideal weight takes a target BMI range and converts it back into kilograms or pounds for a specific height.
BMI is more versatile because it lets you compare across heights. Ideal weight charts are more intuitive for people who think in terms of what they weigh on a scale. Neither tells you about body fat, muscle mass, or where weight is distributed — which matters more for health than either number alone.
Why the Range Is Wide — and That's Intentional
A 20 kg range (e.g. 57–76 kg for someone 175 cm tall) isn't vague — it reflects genuine biological variation in healthy body composition:
- Muscle mass varies significantly. Two people at the same height can have 10–15 kg difference in muscle mass while both being perfectly healthy.
- Bone density differs. Larger frame, denser bones = naturally heavier at the same height and fat level.
- Sex differences. Men typically carry more muscle, women more essential fat — both healthy at different weights.
- Age shifts the ideal range. For adults over 65, research suggests the upper half of the range (or slightly above it) is associated with better outcomes. See BMI by age.
When Ideal Weight Charts Don't Apply
Standard weight-for-height charts were built on population averages. They break down for several groups:
- Athletes and people with high muscle mass — will appear overweight on charts despite low body fat. BMI for athletes covers this in detail.
- Adults over 65 — muscle and bone loss with age means the same weight carries different health implications.
- Pregnant women — ideal weight charts don't apply during pregnancy; guidelines use pre-pregnancy BMI to set gestational weight gain targets.
- Children and teenagers — use age- and sex-specific percentile charts, not adult ideal weight ranges.
- People of Asian ethnicity — evidence suggests health risks (particularly type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease) begin at lower BMI thresholds. Some guidelines recommend a healthy range of 18.5–22.9 for Asian adults.
A Better Question Than "What's My Ideal Weight?"
The most useful health metrics aren't about a number on a scale. Consider tracking:
- Waist circumference — keep it under half your height. More directly linked to visceral fat and metabolic risk than weight. See waist-to-height ratio.
- Waist-to-height ratio — below 0.5 is the target for most adults regardless of height.
- Strength and fitness — grip strength, walking speed, and cardiovascular fitness are stronger predictors of long-term health than BMI or weight.
- Blood markers — glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglycerides tell you far more about metabolic health than any scale reading.
Ideal weight is a useful orientation point. But once you're in a healthy range, the number matters less than how you feel, move, and what your bloodwork shows.
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