Fitness enthusiasts and health-conscious individuals always try to gain or lose weight to reach what they think should be the ideal weight based on their body composition. But without any objective method, people often struggle to determine their ideal body weight (IBW). Fortunately, I have always relied on convenient tools like the IBW calculator to figure out my ideal weight. You can do the same.
What is my ideal weight?
The main purpose of using the ideal weight calculator has always been to assess the risk of being underweight, overweight, or obese [1]. Thus, it was used to get a rough overview of how healthy your weight range was compared to the standard mark.
According to research-based studies, looking after your body and staying within the ideal weight range has many benefits. It allows you to prevent widespread medical conditions like type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancer, and more [2].
Besides health-based applications, our comprehensive weight calculator tool can also give you fitness-oriented insights. The readings are precise enough to help you track your progress at the gym and aid weight management programs.
Lastly, our healthy weight calculator can also be used for additional applications like developing parenteral feeding plans, identifying transplant eligibility, and more. In many ways, the Ideal Body Weight is one of the most comprehensive indicators of an individual’s health status.
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How Much Should I Weigh?
There is no universally accepted definition of the ideal weight. Generally, your weight should depend on multiple factors, including your age, height, sex, body composition, and more.
Traditionally, the equations used to determine the perceived ideal weight of an individual were general and based on some loose rules rather than population-based studies [3].
But in truth, your weight should depend on the following considerations:
Age
Age is not a large factor when it comes to calculating your IBW. But it does have some part to play. This is especially true in the case of the two extremes – young children and teenagers and older adults.
That is because children aged below 16-17 grow at a rapid pace and have different bodily requirements and composition. On the other end, older gentlemen (over age 70) usually shrink in height and have lesser lean muscle mass compared to their peak years.
These natural processes play a large part in how much an individual should weigh based on their age.
Gender
According to studies, females generally weigh less compared to their male counterparts [4]. That is because they have comparatively higher body fat percentages. Men, on the other hand, tend to have more muscle mass, which is heavier than fat.
The other gender-based factor is bone density. Females have lower bone density, which contributes to their low weight ranges.
Height
It is common knowledge that height plays a huge role in how much you weigh. The taller you are, the more muscle mass and body fat you will have, resulting in a heavier weight.
A short and a tall person weighing the same on the measuring scale will have different health-based implications for both of them.
Body Frame
Body frame size is another important factor for determining an individual’s ideal weight. Basically, it refers to the inherent bone structure of the body. It can be calculated by measuring the size and circumference of a person’s wrist.
Body frames can be categorized into three types:
- Small Frame: People with smaller frames have smaller bone structures, narrower wrists, and slim ankles. As such, their ideal body weight is comparatively less.
- Medium Frame: People with average bone structures, wrist circumferences, and medium body weight ranges fall under this category.
- Large Frame: People with larger bone structures, broader wrists, and thicker ankles have large frames. Their ideal body weight is generally heavier compared to the other two categories.
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Ideal Weight Formula
There is no single ‘perfect’ ideal weight formula, with a new one coming up every now and then [5].
All of them treat different variables differently to make up for one or the other weaknesses of the other equations.
Here are the major formulae for calculating an individual’s ideal weight.
Healthy BMI Range
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is one of the most convenient assessments of an individual’s proximity to their ideal weight. It measures your weight relative to your height, and the resulting reading can help you categorize yourself as either underweight, normal weight, or overweight.
BMI Formula:
BMI = Weight (kg) / Height2 (m)
Healthy BMI Range Weight Formula:
Ideal Weight = BMI x Height2 (m)
Healthy BMI Range: 18.5-24.9
Here is the BMI table for your reference.
|
BMI |
Weight Category |
|
< 18.5 |
Underweight |
|
18.5 – 24.9 |
Normal Weight |
|
25.0 – 29.9 |
Overweight |
|
> 30.0 |
Obese |
Peterson Formula (2016)
The Peterson formula is the latest and most widely used Ideal Weight equation. It is considered to be highly accurate as its accuracy was measured using theoretical and empirical means.
Formula:
Ideal Weight (kg) = [2.2 * BMItarget] + [3.5 * BMItarget] * [Height (m) – 1.5m]
Lemmens Formula (2005)
Harry Lemmens came up with a different equation to find more accurate IBW readings. It used more variables and factors compared to previous equations.
Formula:
Ideal Weight (kg) = [22 * Height2 (m)]
Miller Formula (1983)
The Miller formula is comparatively older. It uses height and body weight as the primary variables. Based on traditional studies, it adds a certain amount of weight over a specific height line to determine the ideal body weight.
Formula:
Ideal Weight for Men (kg) = [56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per inch over 5 feet]
Ideal Weight for Women (kg) = [53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per inch over 5 feet]
Robinson Formula (1983)
Robinson’s Formula also used the same indices as Miller’s equation. However, the variables involved were treated a little differently.
Formula:
Ideal Weight for Men (kg) = [52 kg + 1.9 kg per inch over 5 feet]
Ideal Weight for Women (kg) = [49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch over 5 feet]
Devine Formula (1974)
The Devine Equation was one of the most popular measures of an individual’s ideal body weight before improvements were introduced.
Formula:
Ideal Weight for Men (kg) = [50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet]
Ideal Weight for Women (kg) = [45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet]
Hamwi Formula (1964)
Hamwi came up with the equation to calculate the ideal body weight in 1964.
Formula:
Ideal Weight for Men (kg) = [48 kg + 2.7 kg per inch over 5 feet]
Ideal Weight for Women (kg) = [45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch over 5 feet]
Lorentz Formula (1929)
Lorentz Formula was an improvement over the oldest and most traditional methods of measuring an individual’s Ideal Body Weight.
Formula:
Ideal Weight for Men (kg) = [Height (cm) – 100 cm] – [(Height (cm) – 150 cm) / 4]
Ideal Weight for Women (kg) = [Height (cm) – 100 cm] – [(Height (cm) – 150 cm) / 2]
Broca Formula (1871)
The Broca formula was the oldest equation to measure an individual’s Ideal Body Weight. It was developed in 1871 by Pierre Paul Broca, a doctor enlisted in the French Army.
Formula:
Ideal Body Weight for Men (kg) = [Height (cm – 100]]
Ideal Body Weight for Women (kg) = [Height (cm) – 100] + [(Height (cm) – 100) * 10%]
Which Ideal Weight Formula is the Best?
Generally, the Peterson Formula and the Body Mass Index equation are considered to be the most accurate indicators of an individual’s body weight.
While both of them have their own sets of limitations, they are the most recent and have many improvements over the previous versions.
Moreover, both Peterson and BMI readings have been tested using empirical and theoretical observations for accuracy.
Final Words
A person’s ideal weight can vary based on many factors – demographics, age, sex, height, and more. By using our IBW calculator, you can easily track your fitness and health status based on different equations.
The readings that you get can tell you if you fall under the threat of being overweight, obese, or underweight.
References
- Chichester, S., Holmes, T. M., & Hubbard, J. (2021). Ideal body weight: A commentary. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, 46, 246–250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.09.746
- Fontana, L., & Hu, F. B. (2014). Optimal body weight for health and longevity: bridging basic, clinical, and population research. Aging Cell, 13(3), 391–400. https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.12207
- Peterson, C. M., Thomas, D. M., Blackburn, G. L., & Heymsfield, S. B. (2016). Universal equation for estimating ideal body weight and body weight at any BMI. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 103(5), 1197–1203. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.115.121178
- Karnes, J. H., Arora, A., Feng, J., Steiner, H. E., Sulieman, L., Boerwinkle, E., Clark, C., Cicek, M., Cohn, E., Gebo, K., Loperena-Cortes, R., Ohno-Machado, L., Mayo, K., Mockrin, S., Ramirez, A., Schully, S., & Klimentidis, Y. C. (2021). Racial, ethnic, and gender differences in obesity and body fat distribution: An all of us research program demonstration project. PLOS ONE, 16(8), e0255583. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255583
- Lemmens, H. J. M., Brodsky, J. B., & Bernstein, D. P. (2005). Estimating Ideal Body Weight – A New Formula. Obesity Surgery, 15(7), 1082–1083. https://doi.org/10.1381/0960892054621350