Find an ideal body weight range for women, based on height.
The Devine formula, using the female-specific base weight of 45.5kg.
Women: 45.5kg + 2.3kg per inch over 5 feet
This version of the ideal weight calculator uses the Devine formula's female base of 45.5 kg at 5 feet, plus 2.3 kg for each additional inch of height. Enter height in centimetres and it returns a single reference weight.
Many Indian women are between 150 and 165 cm tall, a range where the formula's base weight carries much of the answer. It is often used to set a friendly target during a weight-loss programme, to compare against a BMI-based range, or to understand the 'IBW' figure a hospital record may show.
Like all height-only formulas, it cannot see bone structure, muscle or where fat is stored. Use it as one reference among several, not as a verdict.
1. Measure height in centimetres, standing straight without footwear.
2. Divide by 2.54 to convert to inches.
3. Subtract 60 to find inches over 5 feet; if you are shorter than 5 feet, take this as 0.
4. Multiply that number by 2.3.
5. Add 45.5 kg: ideal weight = 45.5 + 2.3 × (height in inches − 60).
6. Compare with the BMI-based healthy range for your height for context.
Devine's formula uses the same 2.3 kg per inch for both sexes, but the base weight at 5 feet is 45.5 kg for women and 50 kg for men. So at any given height the women's figure is exactly 4.5 kg lower. The gap stands in for average differences in frame size and lean mass. It is a fixed offset, not a percentage, so it matters more for shorter women: at 5 feet the women's figure is 9% below the men's, while at 5 feet 10 inches it is about 6% lower.
The formula has no defined value below 60 inches, which is 152.4 cm. The calculator holds the result at 45.5 kg for anyone shorter. This matters in India, where a large share of adult women are below 152 cm. For a woman of 148 cm, 45.5 kg corresponds to a BMI of about 20.8, which is within the normal band, but the figure does not scale down with height. For shorter women, a BMI-based range is usually the more sensible reference, and a clinician may use a different adjustment.
Several formulas compete with Devine. For women, Robinson (1983) gives 49 kg plus 1.7 kg per inch over 5 feet, Miller (1983) gives 53.1 kg plus 1.36 kg per inch, and Hamwi gives 45.5 kg plus 2.2 kg per inch. At 5 feet 3 inches these give roughly 52 to 57 kg. The spread shows that 'ideal weight' is a convention, not a measured optimum. Research on health outcomes supports ranges rather than single points, with waist size and fitness adding information that height formulas miss.
Kavya, a 29-year-old nurse in Kochi, is 158 cm tall. Her hospital's dosing chart asks for ideal body weight and she wants to check the figure by hand.
Answer: Estimated ideal weight 50.6 kg
Expecting the answer to fall for heights under 152 cm; the formula holds at 45.5 kg there.
Using the men's formula, which adds 4.5 kg at every height.
Setting the number as a rigid goal during pregnancy or after childbirth, when weight guidance is different.
Ignoring muscle: a woman who does strength training can be healthy above the reference figure.
Finding a reference weight to discuss in a nutrition consultation.
Nurses and pharmacists checking the IBW used for certain medicine doses.
Comparing a height-only estimate with a BMI range when setting goals.
Studying the classic ideal body weight formulas for exams in nursing or pharmacy.
Why is the base weight lower for women?
The Devine formula's starting weight reflects average differences in body frame and shape between men and women at the same height.