Updated · Built and checked by the PlinzoTools team, formulas tested against published sources
Estimate ideal body weight using the Devine formula (used for clinical dosing).
This tool estimates "ideal" body weight using the Devine formula (1974) -- originally developed for medication dosing, and still the most commonly used equation for that purpose, though it's also cited as a general reference weight.
Enter your height in inches and sex. Estimated ideal weight in both kilograms and pounds appears instantly.
Men: 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet
Women: 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet
"Ideal body weight" formulas like Devine's were designed for a specific clinical purpose (drug dosing) and don't account for muscle mass, frame size, or individual body composition -- they're not a personal weight-loss target. Treat this as a reference figure, not a goal.
Enter a hypothetical man who is 70 inches tall, the tool's starting value. He is 10 inches over 5 feet, so the equation adds 2.3 times 10, or 23 kg, to the 50 kg base. The result is 73.0 kg, shown alongside its pound equivalent of about 160.9 lb. For a hypothetical woman who is 65 inches tall, the base is 45.5 kg and she is 5 inches over 5 feet, so she gets 45.5 plus 11.5, or 57.0 kg, which is about 125.7 lb. The tool displays both kilograms and pounds to one decimal place in two separate tiles.
Ideal weight (kg) = base (50 for men, 45.5 for women) + 2.3 x (height in inches - 60)
The number of inches over 5 feet is never allowed to go negative. If you enter a height of 60 inches or less, the tool treats the excess as zero and returns the plain base value, which is 50 kg for men and 45.5 kg for women, no matter how short the height is. That means the result is not adjusted downward for shorter people, so it should be treated with caution in that range. Height is entered in inches only, so convert from centimetres by dividing by 2.54, and remember that 5 feet 8 inches is 68 inches.
The equation depends only on height and sex. It ignores frame size, muscle mass, age and health history, so it says nothing about the weight at which any specific person will be healthiest. It was created with clinical dosing in mind, where a reference weight helps estimate how much of a medication to give, and the result is still used for that purpose by clinicians who apply their own judgement. Do not treat it as a target for dieting. Athletes and people with substantial muscle will often weigh well above the figure while being healthy, while others may feel and be well below it.
This tool is educational only and is not medical advice.
Not necessarily -- this formula was designed for medication dosing, not as a personal health target; a healthy weight range depends on many individual factors.
Devine's original formula was derived for adult heights typically at or above 5 feet; it's less reliable outside that range.
Consider it alongside BMI, body fat percentage, and waist measurements -- see the BMI Calculator and Body Fat Percentage Calculator.
The tool treats the inches over five feet as zero, so it returns the base value of 50 kg for men or 45.5 kg for women.
No. The field expects inches, so divide centimetres by 2.54 first.
No. It uses only height and sex, so muscular or large-framed people may healthily weigh more than the figure shown.
The Devine formula produces kilograms, and the tool converts to pounds for convenience, showing each to one decimal place.
Reference: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention