Ideal Body Weight Calculator

About this calculator

The Devine formula, published in 1974, is the most widely used method for estimating ideal body weight (IBW) from height: for men, IBW = 50 kg + 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet; for women, IBW = 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet. It was originally created as a quick way to calculate drug dosing, not as a fitness target, but it has since become a standard reference point in clinical and nutrition settings.

Hospitals and pharmacists still use Devine weight today to dose medications like certain antibiotics and chemotherapy agents, where dosing by actual body weight can be dangerous for people who are significantly overweight or underweight. Dietitians also cite it as a rough benchmark, though most now pair it with BMI and body composition rather than treating it as a single "correct" number, since it does not account for frame size, muscle mass or age.

This calculator takes your height and sex and returns your Devine ideal body weight in both kilograms and pounds.