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Ideal Weight Calculator | Devine, Robinson & Miller Formulas

Discover Your
Healthy Range

Uses 4 medically validated formulas to estimate your ideal body weight based on height and frame.

01. Stats

02. Height

cm

Find Your Range

Enter your height to calculate.

The Science

Understanding Ideal Weight

The concept of "Ideal Body Weight" (IBW) originated not from fashion magazines, but from pharmacology. Doctors needed a way to estimate the mass of metabolically active tissue to safely dose dangerous medications.

Today, these formulas help us establish a general target for long-term health, but they are not absolute rules. They do not account for muscle mass, frame size, or age.

Formula History

The Devine Formula (1974)

Originally designed to calculate Gentamicin doses. It became the most widely used formula because it closely matched insurance actuarial tables of weight-to-height ratios.

The Robinson Formula (1983)

A modification of Devine's work, providing slightly different values for men and women based on updated population data from the 1980s.

BMI vs. Ideal Weight Formulas

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a broad range (e.g., 60kg - 75kg) that indicates general health risk. IBW Formulas pinpoint a single number (e.g., 68kg) within that range.

When to ignore these numbers:

  • Athletes: High muscle mass will categorize you as "Overweight" on BMI, which is false.
  • Seniors: Older adults often benefit from being slightly above the "ideal" range for bone density protection.
  • Pregnancy: These formulas do not apply.

Better Health Markers

If the scale stresses you out, focus on these metrics instead. They correlate more strongly with longevity than weight alone.

Waist Size

Men < 40 inches, Women < 35 inches. Visceral fat is the real enemy.

Blood Pressure

Ideally < 120/80 mmHg. Weight loss is the most effective natural way to lower it.

Performance

Can you walk up stairs without winding? Can you carry groceries? Function matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my ideal weight so low?
These formulas were created for medical dosing, not aesthetics. They assume a "medium frame" and do not account for muscle mass. If you lift weights, your "healthy" weight will be significantly higher than these estimates. Trust the mirror and your performance over a 1970s formula.
Does frame size matter?
Yes. A large-framed individual can healthy weigh 10-15% more than the formula suggests. A simple wrist measurement test can help determine frame size, but generally, if you have broad shoulders and thick wrists, aim for the upper end of the BMI range (23-25) rather than a specific IBW number.
Does age affect ideal weight?
Research suggests that ideal weight increases slightly with age. Developing some extra reserve (slightly higher BMI) in older age is protective against frailty and osteoporosis. The formulas do not account for this, so older adults should treat these numbers as a very loose lower limit.

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