The four formulas
Each adds a fixed amount per inch above 5 feet (152.4 cm):
| Formula | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Devine (1974) | 50 kg + 2.3 kg/in | 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg/in |
| Robinson (1983) | 52 kg + 1.9 kg/in | 49 kg + 1.7 kg/in |
| Miller (1983) | 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg/in | 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg/in |
| Hamwi (1964) | 48 kg + 2.7 kg/in | 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg/in |
Devine’s version is still used in hospitals to dose drugs such as gentamicin, and in ventilator settings. That origin is the key caveat: these numbers were made for pharmacists, not for deciding what you personally “should” weigh.
A healthier way to think about goal weight
Clinicians focus more on waist size, blood pressure, blood sugar, fitness and how you feel than on a single number. Losing 5–10% of body weight, where that’s appropriate, brings measurable health benefits even if you stay above a formula’s figure. Talk to your doctor about what range makes sense for you.
Questions people ask
What is my ideal weight for my height?
There isn’t one perfect number. Classic formulas give a single figure (for example, Devine gives 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet for men), while the healthy BMI range gives a band. For most people the band is the more useful target.
Which ideal weight formula is best?
None is clearly best. They were designed for medication dosing in the 1960s–80s, not as personal goals. Seeing all four next to the BMI range shows how much reasonable estimates differ.
Why is the ideal weight range so wide?
Frame size, muscle, age and ethnicity all affect a healthy weight. A BMI of 18.5–24.9 at 5′6″ spans about 115 to 154 lb, which reflects that natural variation.
Do these formulas work for short people?
They start from 5 feet (152.4 cm). Below that the per-inch formulas extrapolate downward and become unreliable; the BMI range is a better guide.
Sources
- Devine BJ (1974). Gentamicin therapy. Drug Intell Clin Pharm 8:650–655.
- Robinson JD et al. (1983). Determination of ideal body weight for drug dosage calculations. Am J Hosp Pharm 40:1016–1019.
- Miller DR et al. (1983). Determining ideal body weight (and mass). Am J Hosp Pharm 40:1622–1625.
- Hamwi GJ (1964). Therapy: changing dietary concepts. In: Diabetes Mellitus: Diagnosis and Treatment. American Diabetes Association.
- WHO / CDC. Healthy adult BMI range 18.5–24.9.
Every formula on VitalMetrics is listed with its original reference on Sources & methods.