Health

Ideal Weight Calculator

Compare your ideal body weight across five scientific formulas for a comprehensive assessment

Quick Answer:For a 170 cm (5'7") male in 2026, ideal weight ranges from 60-72 kg depending on the formula used, with the BMI-based method suggesting 63.6 kg as the midpoint of the healthy BMI range.

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Average Ideal Weight

Calculating... kg

Devine Formula

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Robinson Formula

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Miller Formula

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Hamwi Formula

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BMI-Based (BMI = 22)

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Formula Comparison

Devine-- kg
Robinson-- kg
Miller-- kg
Hamwi-- kg
BMI-Based-- kg

Expert Insight 2026 Pro Tip

Ideal weight formulas were developed decades ago for clinical drug dosing and do not account for modern understanding of body composition. A muscular 80 kg person with 15% body fat is far healthier than a sedentary 68 kg person with 30% body fat, even if the formulas suggest 68 kg is "ideal." Focus on body composition metrics like body fat percentage and waist-to-hip ratio rather than chasing a single number on the scale. Use these formulas as general guidelines, not strict targets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ideal weight formula is the most accurate?

No single ideal weight formula is definitively the most accurate because each was developed for different populations and purposes. The Devine formula, created in 1974 for drug dosing calculations, is the most widely used but tends to underestimate healthy weight ranges for shorter individuals and overestimate for taller people. The Robinson and Miller formulas provide more moderate estimates that many clinicians consider more realistic. The BMI-based method using a target BMI of 22 offers the most individualized approach since it scales proportionally with height squared. Most modern healthcare providers in 2026 recommend using the BMI-based range of 18.5-24.9 rather than a single ideal weight number, as this accounts for natural variation in body frame, muscle mass, and bone density across different individuals.

Should muscular people use a different ideal weight standard?

Yes, muscular individuals should interpret ideal weight calculations differently because traditional formulas do not account for lean muscle mass versus fat mass. A person with significant muscle development may weigh considerably more than their calculated ideal weight while still being very healthy. For example, a 175 cm male bodybuilder might weigh 90 kg with 12% body fat, well above the formula-based ideal of 68-72 kg. In these cases, body composition metrics like body fat percentage and lean body mass index provide far more meaningful health assessments. The Fat-Free Mass Index with a score between 18 and 25 indicates normal to athletic muscle mass. Athletes and regular weight trainers should use body fat percentage ranges rather than weight-based ideals to evaluate their body composition.

How does height affect ideal weight calculations?

Height has a significant impact on ideal weight calculations, and the relationship is not linear but rather follows a squared or exponential pattern. The BMI-based formula demonstrates this clearly since weight scales with height squared, meaning a person who is 10% taller has an ideal weight approximately 21% higher rather than just 10% higher. Traditional formulas like Devine and Robinson use a linear adjustment of approximately 2-2.7 kg per inch above 5 feet, which creates inaccuracies at extreme heights. Very tall individuals over 185 cm often find formula-based ideal weights unrealistically low, while very short individuals under 155 cm may find them too high. The BMI-based approach handles height extremes better because of its quadratic relationship with height, making it increasingly preferred by healthcare providers in clinical settings.

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