Ideal Weight Calculator
Ideal body weight by three classical formulas, plus a South Asian BMI-based range
Frequently Asked Questions
"Ideal" body weight has been estimated by several different classical formulas over the decades — this calculator presents multiple of them side by side, plus a South Asian BMI-based range, specifically because no single formula is universally accepted as definitively correct, and different formulas can produce meaningfully different figures for the same person.
Why multiple formulas exist, and why they disagree
Classical ideal-weight formulas were developed at different points in medical history, often for specific practical purposes (some were originally developed for medication dosing estimates, for instance, not as general wellness targets), using different underlying datasets and assumptions about what "ideal" means. None of them account for individual factors like frame size, muscle mass, or body composition — they're all height-based formulas producing a single weight figure, which is inherently a simplification. The South Asian BMI-based range, calculated separately using the lower South Asian-specific BMI thresholds discussed in the BMI Calculator, gives a different kind of estimate — a range rather than a single number, and one specifically calibrated to South Asian cardiometabolic risk research rather than the classical formulas' more general historical basis.
A worked example
The same height run through several classical ideal-weight formulas can produce a noticeably different "ideal" figure from each one, and none of them is definitively "more correct" than the others in an absolute sense — they were developed for different original purposes and represent different historical approaches to the same underlying question, which is exactly why this calculator shows multiple results rather than picking one as authoritative.
How this connects to your other health calculations
For added context on how a given weight figure should be interpreted for a specific individual, the Frame Size Calculator and Body Fat Calculator provide information these height-only formulas don't capture — frame size and body composition both meaningfully affect what weight is actually healthy for a specific person, beyond what a height-only calculation can determine.
Common mistakes
Treating any single "ideal weight" formula result as a precise, individually-tailored target, rather than one of several historical estimation approaches with real limitations, overstates how definitive these calculations actually are — for genuine personal health-weight guidance, these formulas are useful general context, not a substitute for individualized assessment that accounts for frame, body composition, and overall health.