Healthy Weight Range Calculator
How this is calculated
The main figure is the weight range corresponding to a healthy BMI (18.5–24.9) at your height:
Lower = 18.5 × height (m)² Upper = 24.9 × height (m)²
At 170 cm that's 53.5 kg to 72 kg — a 19 kg span, all of it healthy.
We also show two older clinical formulas for comparison, both defined in inches over five feet:
| Formula | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Devine (1974) | 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft | 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft |
| Hamwi (1964) | 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch over 5 ft | 48 kg + 2.7 kg per inch over 5 ft |
Worth knowing where those came from: Devine was developed to calculate medication dosages, not to tell anyone what to weigh. Neither formula was built as a health target, and both tend to produce figures at the lower end of the healthy range. They're here for comparison, not as goals.
There is no single ideal weight
This is the honest answer to the question the page is named after. A 19 kg span at the same height is healthy, and where you sit within it depends on muscle mass, frame, age and what you can maintain without a fight.
Two people at identical heights and weights can have completely different body composition and completely different metabolic health. That's the same limitation the BMI calculator has, and it's why we'd point you at waist measurement instead.
A better question than "what should I weigh?" is "is my waist less than half my height?" — that reflects visceral fat, the kind that actually drives metabolic risk. The waist-to-height ratio calculator takes ten seconds.
What to aim at instead
If you want a target that means something, use one of these:
- Waist under half your height. Responds to diet and activity, often before the scale moves.
- 5–10% of current weight. This is where the health benefits are concentrated — improvements in blood glucose, blood pressure and lipids appear well before anyone reaches a "goal weight". For someone at 95 kg that's 5–9 kg, not a transformation.
- Blood markers. Fasting glucose, HbA1c, lipids and blood pressure describe your health far better than your weight does. See the five markers of metabolic health.
- What you can hold. A weight you maintain comfortably beats a lower one you reach and lose again.
Where this doesn't apply
Height-based ranges don't work well for athletes and anyone with high muscle mass, during pregnancy, for children and adolescents (who need growth charts), for older adults where slightly higher weight is protective, or for people with limb differences or conditions affecting body composition.
If you have a history of disordered eating, a goal weight can be an unhelpful thing to fixate on. Please speak to your GP rather than working to a number from a calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What should I weigh for my height?
What is the Devine formula?
What should I aim for instead of an ideal weight?
References
- Pai MP, Paloucek FP (2000). The origin of the ideal body weight equations. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 34(9), 1066-1069.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Overweight and obesity.
Related reading
A number is a starting point, not a plan
Our AI nutritionist takes your targets and turns them into meals you'll actually eat — and adjusts as your goals, training and life change.
General nutrition information only — not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See our health disclaimer.