Ideal Body Weight (IBW) Calculator
What is the ideal weight?
The ideal body weight is the optimal weight as per the height, age, and gender of a person. If the weight of a person is more than that specified for a height, the individual is at risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cholelithiasis, osteoporosis, and infertility (1).
How Much Should I Weigh For My Height And Age And Gender?
As per the National Institutes of Health, following is the ideal body weight chart based on the height of an individual (2).
| Height | Weight | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Overweight | Obesity | Severe obesity | |
| 4ft 10"(58") | 91 to 115 lbs. | 119 to 138 lbs. | 143 to 186 lbs. | 191 to 258 lbs. |
| 4ft 11"(59") | 94 to 119 lbs. | 124 to 143 lbs. | 148 to 193 lbs. | 198 to 267 lbs. |
| 5ft(60") | 97 to 123 lbs. | 128 to 148 lbs. | 153 to 199 lbs. | 204 to 276 lbs. |
| 5ft 1"(61") | 100 to 127 lbs. | 132 to 153 lbs. | 158 to 206 lbs. | 211 to 285 lbs. |
| 5ft 2"(62") | 104 to 131 lbs. | 136 to 158 lbs. | 164 to 213 lbs. | 218 to 295 lbs. |
| 5ft 3"(63") | 107 to 135 lbs. | 141 to 163 lbs. | 169 to 220 lbs. | 225 to 304 lbs. |
| 5ft 4"(64") | 110 to 140 lbs. | 145 to 169 lbs. | 174 to 227 lbs. | 232 to 314 lbs. |
| 5ft 5"(65") | 114 to 144 lbs. | 150 to 174 lbs. | 180 to 234 lbs. | 240 to 324 lbs. |
| 5ft 6"(66") | 118 to 148 lbs. | 155 to 179 lbs. | 186 to 241 lbs. | 247 to 334 lbs. |
| 5ft 7"(67") | 121 to 153 lbs. | 159 to 185 lbs. | 191 to 249 lbs. | 255 to 344 lbs. |
| 5ft 8"(68") | 125 to 158 lbs. | 164 to 190 lbs. | 197 to 256 lbs. | 262 to 354 lbs. |
| 5ft 9"(69") | 128 to 162 lbs. | 169 to 196 lbs. | 203 to 263 lbs. | 270 to 365 lbs. |
| 5ft 10"(70") | 132 to 167 lbs. | 174 to 202 lbs. | 209 to 271 lbs. | 278 to 376 lbs. |
| 5ft 11"(71") | 136 to 172 lbs. | 179 to 208 lbs. | 215 to 279 lbs. | 286 to 386 lbs. |
| 6ft(72") | 140 to 177 lbs. | 184 to 213 lbs. | 221 to 287 lbs. | 294 to 397 lbs. |
| 6ft 1"(73") | 144 to 182 lbs. | 189 to 219 lbs. | 227 to 295 lbs. | 302 to 408 lbs. |
| 6ft 2"(74") | 148 to 186 lbs. | 194 to 225 lbs. | 233 to 303 lbs. | 311 to 420 lbs. |
| 6ft 3"(75") | 152 to 192 lbs. | 200 to 232 lbs. | 240 to 311 lbs. | 319 to 431 lbs. |
| 6ft 4"(76") | 156 to 197 lbs. | 205 to 238 lbs. | 246 to 320 lbs. | 328 to 443 lbs. |
Formulas For Finding The Ideal Weight
There are multiple formulae to get the ideal body weight. The Devine formula is the most popular and was formulated both for men and women (3).
For Men
Ideal Body Weight: 50.0 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet
For Women
Ideal Body Weight: 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet
How To Maintain An Ideal Weight
To maintain an ideal body weight, one should opt for a holistic approach. A healthy diet, exercise, and stress management are the common areas where people need to focus on to stay fit and healthy.
Healthy Diet
A healthy diet does not mean eating only soups and salads. Speak to a nutritionist to get a customized diet plan as per your body type.
- Choose whole grains over refined and semi-polished grains.
- Cardiovascular disorders
- Choose high-quality proteins for every meal. If you are a vegetarian, combine pulses and cereal protein to get all the essential amino acids.
- Include good-quality fat like nuts and seeds, nut butter, and clarified butter in your diet to enhance the taste of dishes and reap health benefits.
- Include 3-4 servings of vegetables and 1-2 servings of whole fruits.
Exercise
Aim to burn calories by exercising 150 min/week. If you are a beginner, start your day with walking, followed by low-intensity strength training and/or yoga.
Lifestyle Management
Practice meditation, sleep well, and adopt healthy habits to make changes in your lifestyle.
Limitations Of Ideal Body Weight
- The body weight calculator is limited to specific ages and heights. It is not applicable for sportspersons, athletes, and differently-abled people.
- This calculator does not predict body fat and muscle mass percentage. It states the entire weight of the body.
Sources
- What is the Ideal Body Weight? Public Health Journal, Oxford Academic. https://academic.oup.com/fampra/article/17/4/348/445929
- Body Mass Index Table, National Institutes of Health. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmi_tbl.pdf
- Universal equation for estimating ideal body weight and body weight at any BMI, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4841935/
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an ideal body weight calculator be used in conjunction with other health assessments or measurements, such as BMI or body fat percentage?
Yes. Since there may be limitations of using only one tool for evaluating one’s health, multiple health assessment tools can be used to get a comprehensive picture of one’s health.
What are some of the benefits of using an ideal body weight calculator as part of a fitness or weight loss program?
An ideal weight calculator can help set more realistic fitness goals and serve as the endpoint for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. It can help monitor your progress as well.
How can you interpret the results of an ideal body weight calculator to make informed decisions about your health and fitness goals?
Your likelihood of developing a certain disorder can be better understood with the aid of an ideal weight calculator. This enables you to initiate preventative changes to your diet and lifestyle. It can also help you figure out whether your fitness regimen is effective for you.