Picture a woman in a doctor's waiting room, staring at an old poster on the wall. It lists one "ideal weight" for every height. For her height of 5 ft 5 in (165 cm), it says 126 lb (57 kg). She weighs 140 lb (64 kg) and feels strong. So which number is right? Here's the thing: the search for your ideal weight for height rarely ends in one perfect number. It ends in a healthy range, and knowing where that range comes from makes it far less stressful.
Let me show you a chart built from real, checkable math, and how to use it well.
Where "ideal weight" numbers come from
Most ideal weight charts use one of two ideas.
1. The BMI range. BMI (body mass index) is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared. The CDC calls a BMI of 18.5 to under 25 a healthy weight for adults. If you flip the math around, you can find the weight range that fits your height.
2. Ideal body weight formulas. These give one number for each height. The best known is the Devine formula from 1974. Others include Robinson (1983), Miller (1983), and Hamwi (1964).
This is where it gets interesting. A 2000 review by Pai and Paloucek in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy traced these formulas back to their roots. They were built to help doctors dose medicines. They were never meant to be personal health goals. They're useful reference points, just not a finish line.
Ideal weight for height chart (lb and kg)
Every number in this chart comes from two simple formulas. I'll show the math right after.
| Height | Healthy BMI range (18.5 to 24.9) | Devine: women | Devine: men |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 10 in (147 cm) | 89 to 119 lb (40.2 to 54.0 kg) | n/a | n/a |
| 5 ft 0 in (152 cm) | 95 to 127 lb (43.0 to 57.8 kg) | 100 lb (45.5 kg) | 110 lb (50.0 kg) |
| 5 ft 2 in (157 cm) | 101 to 136 lb (45.9 to 61.8 kg) | 110 lb (50.1 kg) | 120 lb (54.6 kg) |
| 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) | 108 to 145 lb (48.9 to 65.8 kg) | 121 lb (54.7 kg) | 131 lb (59.2 kg) |
| 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | 115 to 154 lb (52.0 to 70.0 kg) | 131 lb (59.3 kg) | 141 lb (63.8 kg) |
| 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | 122 to 164 lb (55.2 to 74.3 kg) | 141 lb (63.9 kg) | 151 lb (68.4 kg) |
| 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | 129 to 174 lb (58.5 to 78.7 kg) | 151 lb (68.5 kg) | 161 lb (73.0 kg) |
| 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | 136 to 184 lb (61.9 to 83.3 kg) | 161 lb (73.1 kg) | 171 lb (77.6 kg) |
| 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | 144 to 194 lb (65.4 to 88.0 kg) | 171 lb (77.7 kg) | 181 lb (82.2 kg) |
| 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | 152 to 205 lb (68.9 to 92.8 kg) | 181 lb (82.3 kg) | 191 lb (86.8 kg) |
The Devine formula starts at 5 ft 0 in, so it has no value for shorter heights. The BMI range is the same for women and men.
How I worked out the BMI column
This part is actually really easy. Here's the formula:
Weight (kg) = BMI × height (m) × height (m)
Take 5 ft 6 in as an example. That's 66 inches, or 1.676 m. Squared, it's about 2.81.
- Low end: 18.5 × 2.81 = 52.0 kg (115 lb)
- High end: 24.9 × 2.81 = 70.0 kg (154 lb)
To turn kilograms into pounds, multiply by 2.2046.
How I worked out the Devine columns
The Devine formula adds 2.3 kg for every inch over 5 feet:
- Women: 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft
- Men: 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft
For a woman who is 5 ft 6 in, that's 45.5 + (2.3 × 6) = 59.3 kg, or about 131 lb.
How the four formulas compare
I ran two example heights through all four formulas to see how much they agree.
| Formula | Woman, 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) | Man, 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Devine (1974) | 126 lb (57.0 kg) | 161 lb (73.0 kg) |
| Robinson (1983) | 127 lb (57.5 kg) | 157 lb (71.0 kg) |
| Miller (1983) | 132 lb (59.9 kg) | 155 lb (70.3 kg) |
| Hamwi (1964) | 125 lb (56.5 kg) | 165 lb (75.0 kg) |
Here's what I noticed. The formulas spread out by 7 to 10 lb (3 to 5 kg) at the same height. And every one of them sits well inside the healthy BMI range. That's a good reminder that "ideal" is really a zone, not a point.
Remember the woman in the waiting room? At 5 ft 5 in, 126 lb is the Devine number. Her 140 lb (64 kg) is still well inside the healthy BMI range for her height, which runs from about 111 to 150 lb (50.4 to 67.9 kg).
Want your own numbers? Our ideal weight calculator works out these numbers for your exact height in a few seconds.
What this means for you
A weight chart is a helpful first look. But weight alone can't tell muscle from fat. The CDC says BMI is a screening measure and should be looked at along with other factors.
Here are two easy extras that add real detail:
- Your waist. NICE, the health guidance body in England, suggests keeping your waist to less than half your height. Check yours with our waist-to-height ratio calculator.
- Your body fat. Two people at the same weight can have very different body fat. Our body fat calculator gives you an estimate with just a tape measure.
You can also check your current BMI in a few seconds.
For women
Many women chase the low end of the chart. You don't have to. The whole range from 18.5 to 24.9 counts as healthy weight in the CDC categories. If a number on the scale is causing stress, or you have a history of disordered eating, please talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.
For men
If you lift weights, you may sit above the Devine number or even above a BMI of 25 while carrying little fat. That's where a waist or body fat check helps. NICE notes that waist-to-height ratio can be used for people with high muscle mass.
For adults over 50
The CDC's adult BMI categories apply to adults 20 and older, so the math in this chart doesn't change with age. What does change is how much muscle matters. The PROT-AGE Study Group, which focused on adults over 65, suggests 1.0 to 1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight a day for older adults. For a 150 lb (68 kg) person, that's about 68 to 82 g a day. Our guide to protein after 50 walks you through it. If you have kidney disease or another health condition, check with your doctor before changing your protein.
My take on ideal weight
Based on what I've seen, the healthiest way to use an ideal weight for height chart is as a map, not a verdict. Find your height. Look at the whole range. Then add one or two other checks, like your waist size.
I'd also trust single-number formulas less than old posters do. They were made for dosing medicine. They're fine as a reference, and it's genuinely useful to know where they came from.
The bottom line
Your ideal weight for height is a range, not one number. For most adults, the CDC healthy BMI range of 18.5 to under 25 is the best place to start, and the Devine formula gives a handy midpoint. Pair it with a waist check and a focus on muscle, and you'll have a much clearer picture. Try our ideal weight calculator to see your personal range.