Ideal weight for your height
A range, not a number. The healthy BMI band applied to your height gives a window of 12–15 kg, and every kilogram inside it is fine.
The full table for every height is below and needs no JavaScript.
Why a range and not a number
healthy weight = 18.5 × height² … 22.9 × height² (height in metres)
The healthy band on the Asian-Indian scale runs from BMI 18.5 to 22.9. Multiply each end by your height squared and you have your range. At 5'4" (162.6 cm) that is 48.9 kg to 60.5 kg — a window of roughly 12 kg.
Two people at opposite ends of that window can both be healthy, because BMI cannot see frame size, muscle mass or where fat sits. Reporting a single "ideal" figure would be inventing a precision the method does not have.
Source: WHO Expert Consultation. “Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies.” The Lancet 2004;363(9403):157–163.
Source (Devine column): Devine BJ. “Gentamicin therapy.” Drug Intelligence and Clinical Pharmacy 1974;8:650–655 — the origin of the widely quoted “ideal body weight” formula.
Every height — women
| Height | Height (cm) | Healthy range (kg) | Healthy range (lb) | Devine reference (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4'10" | 147.3 | 40.2 – 49.7 | 89 – 110 | 45.5 |
| 4'11" | 149.9 | 41.5 – 51.4 | 92 – 113 | 45.5 |
| 5'0" | 152.4 | 43.0 – 53.2 | 95 – 117 | 45.5 |
| 5'1" | 154.9 | 44.4 – 55.0 | 98 – 121 | 47.8 |
| 5'2" | 157.5 | 45.9 – 56.8 | 101 – 125 | 50.1 |
| 5'3" | 160.0 | 47.4 – 58.6 | 104 – 129 | 52.4 |
| 5'4" | 162.6 | 48.9 – 60.5 | 108 – 133 | 54.7 |
| 5'5" | 165.1 | 50.4 – 62.4 | 111 – 138 | 57.0 |
| 5'6" | 167.6 | 52.0 – 64.4 | 115 – 142 | 59.3 |
| 5'7" | 170.2 | 53.6 – 66.3 | 118 – 146 | 61.6 |
| 5'8" | 172.7 | 55.2 – 68.3 | 122 – 151 | 63.9 |
| 5'9" | 175.3 | 56.8 – 70.3 | 125 – 155 | 66.2 |
| 5'10" | 177.8 | 58.5 – 72.4 | 129 – 160 | 68.5 |
| 5'11" | 180.3 | 60.2 – 74.5 | 133 – 164 | 70.8 |
| 6'0" | 182.9 | 61.9 – 76.6 | 136 – 169 | 73.1 |
| 6'1" | 185.4 | 63.6 – 78.7 | 140 – 174 | 75.4 |
| 6'2" | 188.0 | 65.4 – 80.9 | 144 – 178 | 77.7 |
| 6'3" | 190.5 | 67.1 – 83.1 | 148 – 183 | 80.0 |
| 6'4" | 193.0 | 68.9 – 85.3 | 152 – 188 | 82.3 |
The range is the answer; the Devine column is a single-number formula from 1974, shown for reference only because it is still widely quoted. It takes no account of build and returns the same figure for every woman of a given height.
Every height — men
| Height | Height (cm) | Healthy range (kg) | Healthy range (lb) | Devine reference (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4'10" | 147.3 | 40.2 – 49.7 | 89 – 110 | 50.0 |
| 4'11" | 149.9 | 41.5 – 51.4 | 92 – 113 | 50.0 |
| 5'0" | 152.4 | 43.0 – 53.2 | 95 – 117 | 50.0 |
| 5'1" | 154.9 | 44.4 – 55.0 | 98 – 121 | 52.3 |
| 5'2" | 157.5 | 45.9 – 56.8 | 101 – 125 | 54.6 |
| 5'3" | 160.0 | 47.4 – 58.6 | 104 – 129 | 56.9 |
| 5'4" | 162.6 | 48.9 – 60.5 | 108 – 133 | 59.2 |
| 5'5" | 165.1 | 50.4 – 62.4 | 111 – 138 | 61.5 |
| 5'6" | 167.6 | 52.0 – 64.4 | 115 – 142 | 63.8 |
| 5'7" | 170.2 | 53.6 – 66.3 | 118 – 146 | 66.1 |
| 5'8" | 172.7 | 55.2 – 68.3 | 122 – 151 | 68.4 |
| 5'9" | 175.3 | 56.8 – 70.3 | 125 – 155 | 70.7 |
| 5'10" | 177.8 | 58.5 – 72.4 | 129 – 160 | 73.0 |
| 5'11" | 180.3 | 60.2 – 74.5 | 133 – 164 | 75.3 |
| 6'0" | 182.9 | 61.9 – 76.6 | 136 – 169 | 77.6 |
| 6'1" | 185.4 | 63.6 – 78.7 | 140 – 174 | 79.9 |
| 6'2" | 188.0 | 65.4 – 80.9 | 144 – 178 | 82.2 |
| 6'3" | 190.5 | 67.1 – 83.1 | 148 – 183 | 84.5 |
| 6'4" | 193.0 | 68.9 – 85.3 | 152 – 188 | 86.8 |
The range is the answer; the Devine column is a single-number formula from 1974, shown for reference only because it is still widely quoted. It takes no account of build and returns the same figure for every man of a given height.
Questions
What is the ideal weight for my height?
There isn't one — there is a range. Applying the healthy BMI band of 18.5 to 22.9 to your height gives a window that is usually 12 to 15 kg wide, and anywhere inside it is a defensible place for a body to sit. Anyone quoting a single 'perfect' kilogram figure is either using a 1974 drug-dosing formula or making it up.
Is the Devine formula accurate?
It was never meant to be. Devine published it in 1974 to help calculate drug doses, not to define health, and it returns one number for every person of a given height regardless of build. It is shown on this site because it is still widely quoted, and it is shown as a secondary reference rather than as the answer.
Is ideal weight different for men and women?
Not under the BMI method, which contains no sex term — a man and a woman of the same height get the same range here. The Devine formula does differ by sex, which is one of the ways it reveals its age. Body composition genuinely differs between sexes; BMI simply cannot see it.
Healthy BMI band 18.5–22.9 from the WHO Expert Consultation on BMI in Asian populations (Lancet 2004). Devine formula from Devine BJ, 1974. General information only — not medical advice. These calculators use published population formulas; they cannot account for your individual health. Consult a doctor before major diet or exercise changes. See data & method for every formula and citation used on this site.