Ideal weight

Table of contents

• Women – centimetres and kilograms
• Women – inches and stone
• Women – inches and pounds
• Men – centimetres and kilograms
• Men – inches and stone
• Men – inches and pounds
• Formulae

Women – centimetres and kilograms

	Underweight		Ideal weight (kg)			Overweight
	−	−	−		+	+	+
Height (cm)	20%	15%	10%	Mean	10%	15%	20%
150	41.9	44.5	47.2	52.4	57.6	60.3	62.9
151	42.4	45.1	47.7	53.0	58.3	61.0	63.6
152	43.0	45.6	48.3	53.7	59.1	61.8	64.4
153	43.5	46.2	49.0	54.4	59.8	62.6	65.3
154	44.0	46.8	49.5	55.0	60.5	63.3	66.0
155	44.6	47.3	50.1	55.7	61.3	64.1	66.8
156	45.1	47.9	50.8	56.4	62.0	64.9	67.7
157	45.7	48.5	51.4	57.1	62.8	65.7	68.5
158	46.2	49.0	51.9	57.7	63.5	66.4	69.2
159	46.7	49.6	52.6	58.4	64.2	67.2	70.1
160	47.3	50.2	53.2	59.1	65.0	68.0	70.9
161	47.8	50.7	53.7	59.7	65.7	68.7	71.6
162	48.3	51.3	54.4	60.4	66.4	69.5	72.5
163	48.9	51.9	55.0	61.1	67.2	70.3	73.3
164	49.4	52.5	55.6	61.8	68.0	71.1	74.2
165	49.9	53.0	56.2	62.4	68.6	71.8	74.9
166	50.5	53.6	56.8	63.1	69.4	72.6	75.7
167	51.0	54.2	57.4	63.8	70.2	73.4	76.6
168	51.5	54.7	58.0	64.4	70.8	74.1	77.3
169	52.1	55.3	58.6	65.1	71.6	74.9	78.1
170	52.6	55.9	59.2	65.8	72.4	75.7	79.0
171	53.1	56.4	59.8	66.4	73.0	76.4	79.7
172	53.7	57.0	60.4	67.1	73.8	77.2	80.5
173	54.2	57.6	61.0	67.8	74.6	78.0	81.4
174	54.8	58.2	61.7	68.5	75.4	78.8	82.2
175	55.3	58.7	62.2	69.1	76.0	79.5	82.9
176	55.8	59.3	62.8	69.8	76.8	80.3	83.8
177	56.4	59.9	63.5	70.5	77.6	81.1	84.6
178	56.9	60.4	64.0	71.1	78.2	81.8	85.3
179	57.4	61.0	64.6	71.8	79.0	82.6	86.2
180	58.0	61.6	65.3	72.5	79.8	83.4	87.0

Women – inches and stone

A weight between −10% and +10% of the mean value is typically considered ideal.

	Underweight						Ideal weight									Overweight
	−20%			−15%			−10%			Mean			+10%			+15%			+20%
Height	st	lb		st	lb		st	lb		st	lb		st	lb		st	lb		st	lb
4′ 11″	6	8.2		6	13.9		7	5.7		8	3.2		9	0.7		9	6.5		9	12.2
4′ 11½″	6	9.7		7	1.5		7	7.4		8	5.1		9	2.8		9	8.7		10	0.5
5′ 0″	6	11.2		7	3.2		7	9.1		8	7.0		9	4.9		9	10.9		10	2.8
5′ ½″	6	12.7		7	4.8		7	10.8		8	8.9		9	7.0		9	13.0		10	5.1
5′ 1″	7	0.2		7	6.4		7	12.5		8	10.8		9	9.1		10	1.2		10	7.4
5′ 1½″	7	1.7		7	7.9		8	0.1		8	12.6		9	11.1		10	3.3		10	9.5
5′ 2″	7	3.2		7	9.5		8	1.9		9	0.5		9	13.2		10	5.5		10	11.8
5′ 2½″	7	4.7		7	11.1		8	3.6		9	2.4		10	1.2		10	7.7		11	0.1
5′ 3″	7	6.2		7	12.8		8	5.3		9	4.3		10	3.3		10	9.8		11	2.4
5′ 3½″	7	7.7		8	0.3		8	6.9		9	6.1		10	5.3		10	11.9		11	4.5
5′ 4″	7	9.2		8	1.9		8	8.6		9	8.0		10	7.4		11	0.1		11	6.8
5′ 4½″	7	10.7		8	3.5		8	10.3		9	9.9		10	9.5		11	2.3		11	9.1
5′ 5″	7	12.2		8	5.1		8	12.0		9	11.8		10	11.6		11	4.5		11	11.4
5′ 5½″	7	13.7		8	6.7		8	13.6		9	13.6		10	13.6		11	6.5		11	13.5
5′ 6″	8	1.2		8	8.3		9	1.4		10	1.5		11	1.7		11	8.7		12	1.8
5′ 6½″	8	2.7		8	9.9		9	3.1		10	3.4		11	3.7		11	10.9		12	4.1
5′ 7″	8	4.2		8	11.5		9	4.8		10	5.3		11	5.8		11	13.1		12	6.4
5′ 7½″	8	5.7		8	13.0		9	6.4		10	7.1		11	7.8		12	1.2		12	8.5
5′ 8″	8	7.2		9	0.6		9	8.1		10	9.0		11	9.9		12	3.4		12	10.8
5′ 8½″	8	8.7		9	2.3		9	9.8		10	10.9		11	12.0		12	5.5		12	13.1
5′ 9″	8	10.2		9	3.9		9	11.5		10	12.8		12	0.1		12	7.7		13	1.4
5′ 9½″	8	11.7		9	5.4		9	13.1		11	0.6		12	2.1		12	9.8		13	3.5
5′ 10″	8	13.2		9	7.0		10	0.8		11	2.5		12	4.2		12	12.0		13	5.8
5′ 10½″	9	0.7		9	8.6		10	2.6		11	4.4		12	6.2		13	0.2		13	8.1
5′ 11″	9	2.2		9	10.3		10	4.3		11	6.3		12	8.3		13	2.3		13	10.4

Women – inches and pounds

	Underweight		Ideal weight (lb)			Overweight
	−	−	−		+	+	+
Height	20%	15%	10%	Mean	10%	15%	20%
4′ 11″	92.2	97.9	103.7	115.2	126.7	132.5	138.2
4′ 11½″	93.7	99.5	105.4	117.1	128.8	134.7	140.5
5′ 0″	95.2	101.2	107.1	119.0	130.9	136.9	142.8
5′ ½″	96.7	102.8	108.8	120.9	133.0	139.0	145.1
5′ 1″	98.2	104.4	110.5	122.8	135.1	141.2	147.4
5′ 1½″	99.7	105.9	112.1	124.6	137.1	143.3	149.5
5′ 2″	101.2	107.5	113.9	126.5	139.2	145.5	151.8
5′ 2½″	102.7	109.1	115.6	128.4	141.2	147.7	154.1
5′ 3″	104.2	110.8	117.3	130.3	143.3	149.8	156.4
5′ 3½″	105.7	112.3	118.9	132.1	145.3	151.9	158.5
5′ 4″	107.2	113.9	120.6	134.0	147.4	154.1	160.8
5′ 4½″	108.7	115.5	122.3	135.9	149.5	156.3	163.1
5′ 5″	110.2	117.1	124.0	137.8	151.6	158.5	165.4
5′ 5½″	111.7	118.7	125.6	139.6	153.6	160.5	167.5
5′ 6″	113.2	120.3	127.4	141.5	155.7	162.7	169.8
5′ 6½″	114.7	121.9	129.1	143.4	157.7	164.9	172.1
5′ 7″	116.2	123.5	130.8	145.3	159.8	167.1	174.4
5′ 7½″	117.7	125.0	132.4	147.1	161.8	169.2	176.5
5′ 8″	119.2	126.7	134.1	149.0	163.9	171.4	178.8
5′ 8½″	120.7	128.3	135.8	150.9	166.0	173.5	181.1
5′ 9″	122.2	129.9	137.5	152.8	168.1	175.7	183.4
5′ 9½″	123.7	131.4	139.1	154.6	170.1	177.8	185.5
5′ 10″	125.2	133.0	140.9	156.5	172.2	180.0	187.8
5′ 10½″	126.7	134.6	142.6	158.4	174.2	182.2	190.1
5′ 11″	128.2	136.3	144.3	160.3	176.3	184.3	192.4

Men – centimetres and kilograms

	Underweight		Ideal weight (kg)			Overweight
	−	−	−		+	+	+
Height (cm)	20%	15%	10%	Mean	10%	15%	20%
160	47.8	50.7	53.7	59.7	65.7	68.7	71.6
161	48.3	51.3	54.4	60.4	66.4	69.5	72.5
162	48.9	51.9	55.0	61.1	67.2	70.3	73.3
163	49.4	52.5	55.6	61.8	68.0	71.1	74.2
164	50.0	53.1	56.3	62.5	68.8	71.9	75.0
165	50.6	53.7	56.9	63.2	69.5	72.7	75.8
166	51.1	54.3	57.5	63.9	70.3	73.5	76.7
167	51.7	54.9	58.1	64.6	71.1	74.3	77.5
168	52.2	55.5	58.8	65.3	71.8	75.1	78.4
169	52.9	56.2	59.5	66.1	72.7	76.0	79.3
170	53.4	56.8	60.1	66.8	73.5	76.8	80.2
171	54.0	57.4	60.8	67.5	74.3	77.6	81.0
172	54.6	58.0	61.4	68.2	75.0	78.4	81.8
173	55.1	58.6	62.0	68.9	75.8	79.2	82.7
174	55.7	59.2	62.6	69.6	76.6	80.0	83.5
175	56.2	59.8	63.3	70.3	77.3	80.8	84.4
176	56.8	60.4	63.9	71.0	78.1	81.7	85.2
177	57.4	60.9	64.5	71.7	78.9	82.5	86.0
178	57.9	61.5	65.2	72.4	79.6	83.3	86.9
179	58.6	62.2	65.9	73.2	80.5	84.2	87.8
180	59.1	62.8	66.5	73.9	81.3	85.0	88.7
181	59.7	63.4	67.1	74.6	82.1	85.8	89.5
182	60.2	64.0	67.8	75.3	82.8	86.6	90.4
183	60.8	64.6	68.4	76.0	83.6	87.4	91.2
184	61.4	65.2	69.0	76.7	84.4	88.2	92.0
185	61.9	65.8	69.7	77.4	85.1	89.0	92.9
186	62.5	66.4	70.3	78.1	85.9	89.8	93.7
187	63.0	67.0	70.9	78.8	86.7	90.6	94.6
188	63.6	67.6	71.6	79.5	87.5	91.4	95.4
189	64.2	68.2	72.2	80.2	88.2	92.2	96.2
190	64.8	68.9	72.9	81.0	89.1	93.2	97.2
191	65.4	69.4	73.5	81.7	89.9	94.0	98.0
192	65.9	70.0	74.2	82.4	90.6	94.8	98.9
193	66.5	70.6	74.8	83.1	91.4	95.6	99.7
194	67.0	71.2	75.4	83.8	92.2	96.4	100.6
195	67.6	71.8	76.1	84.5	93.0	97.2	101.4

Men – inches and stone

A weight between −10% and +10% of the mean value is typically considered ideal.

	Underweight						Ideal weight									Overweight
	−20%			−15%			−10%			Mean			+10%			+15%			+20%
Height	st	lb		st	lb		st	lb		st	lb		st	lb		st	lb		st	lb
5′ 3″	7	7.3		7	13.9		8	6.4		9	5.6		10	4.8		10	11.3		11	3.9
5′ 3½″	7	8.9		8	1.6		8	8.2		9	7.6		10	7.0		10	13.6		11	6.3
5′ 4″	7	10.4		8	3.2		8	10.0		9	9.5		10	9.1		11	1.8		11	8.6
5′ 4½″	7	12.0		8	4.9		8	11.8		9	11.5		10	11.3		11	4.1		11	11.0
5′ 5″	7	13.6		8	6.6		8	13.6		9	13.5		10	13.5		11	6.4		11	13.4
5′ 5½″	8	1.2		8	8.3		9	1.4		10	1.5		11	1.7		11	8.7		12	1.8
5′ 6″	8	2.8		8	10.0		9	3.2		10	3.5		11	3.9		11	11.0		12	4.2
5′ 6½″	8	4.4		8	11.7		9	5.0		10	5.5		11	6.1		11	13.3		12	6.6
5′ 7″	8	6.0		8	13.4		9	6.8		10	7.5		11	8.3		12	1.6		12	9.0
5′ 7½″	8	7.6		9	1.1		9	8.6		10	9.5		11	10.5		12	3.9		12	11.4
5′ 8″	8	9.1		9	2.7		9	10.3		10	11.4		11	12.5		12	6.1		12	13.7
5′ 8½″	8	10.7		9	4.4		9	12.1		10	13.4		12	0.7		12	8.4		13	2.1
5′ 9″	8	12.3		9	6.1		9	13.9		11	1.4		12	2.9		12	10.7		13	4.5
5′ 9½″	8	13.9		9	7.8		10	1.7		11	3.4		12	5.1		12	13.0		13	6.9
5′ 10″	9	1.5		9	9.5		10	3.5		11	5.4		12	7.3		13	1.3		13	9.3
5′ 10½″	9	3.1		9	11.2		10	5.3		11	7.4		12	9.5		13	3.6		13	11.7
5′ 11″	9	4.7		9	12.9		10	7.1		11	9.4		12	11.7		13	5.9		14	0.1
5′ 11½″	9	6.3		10	0.6		10	8.9		11	11.4		12	13.9		13	8.2		14	2.5
6′ 0″	9	7.8		10	2.2		10	10.6		11	13.3		13	2.0		13	10.4		14	4.8
6′ ½″	9	9.4		10	3.9		10	12.4		12	1.3		13	4.2		13	12.7		14	7.2
6′ 1″	9	11.0		10	5.6		11	0.2		12	3.3		13	6.4		14	1.0		14	9.6
6′ 1½″	9	12.6		10	7.3		11	2.0		12	5.3		13	8.6		14	3.3		14	12.0
6′ 2″	10	0.2		10	9.0		11	3.8		12	7.3		13	10.8		14	5.6		15	0.4
6′ 2½″	10	1.8		10	10.7		11	5.6		12	9.3		13	13.0		14	7.9		15	2.8
6′ 3″	10	3.4		10	12.4		11	7.4		12	11.3		14	1.2		14	10.2		15	5.2
6′ 3½″	10	5.0		11	0.1		11	9.2		12	13.3		14	3.4		14	12.5		15	7.6
6′ 4″	10	6.6		11	1.7		11	10.9		13	1.2		14	5.5		15	0.7		15	9.8
6′ 4½″	10	8.2		11	3.4		11	12.7		13	3.2		14	7.7		15	3.0		15	12.2
6′ 5″	10	9.8		11	5.1		12	0.5		13	5.2		14	9.9		15	5.3		16	0.6
6′ 5½″	10	11.4		11	6.8		12	2.3		13	7.2		14	12.1		15	7.6		16	3.0
6′ 6″	10	13.0		11	8.5		12	4.1		13	9.2		15	0.3		15	9.9		16	5.4

Men – inches and pounds

	Underweight		Ideal weight (lb)			Overweight
	−	−	−		+	+	+
Height	20%	15%	10%	Mean	10%	15%	20%
5′ 3″	105.3	111.9	118.4	131.6	144.8	151.3	157.9
5′ 3½″	106.9	113.6	120.2	133.6	147.0	153.6	160.3
5′ 4″	108.4	115.2	122.0	135.5	149.1	155.8	162.6
5′ 4½″	110.0	116.9	123.8	137.5	151.3	158.1	165.0
5′ 5″	111.6	118.6	125.6	139.5	153.5	160.4	167.4
5′ 5½″	113.2	120.3	127.4	141.5	155.7	162.7	169.8
5′ 6″	114.8	122.0	129.2	143.5	157.9	165.0	172.2
5′ 6½″	116.4	123.7	131.0	145.5	160.1	167.3	174.6
5′ 7″	118.0	125.4	132.8	147.5	162.3	169.6	177.0
5′ 7½″	119.6	127.1	134.6	149.5	164.5	171.9	179.4
5′ 8″	121.1	128.7	136.3	151.4	166.5	174.1	181.7
5′ 8½″	122.7	130.4	138.1	153.4	168.7	176.4	184.1
5′ 9″	124.3	132.1	139.9	155.4	170.9	178.7	186.5
5′ 9½″	125.9	133.8	141.7	157.4	173.1	181.0	188.9
5′ 10″	127.5	135.5	143.5	159.4	175.3	183.3	191.3
5′ 10½″	129.1	137.2	145.3	161.4	177.5	185.6	193.7
5′ 11″	130.7	138.9	147.1	163.4	179.7	187.9	196.1
5′ 11½″	132.3	140.6	148.9	165.4	181.9	190.2	198.5
6′ 0″	133.8	142.2	150.6	167.3	184.0	192.4	200.8
6′ ½″	135.4	143.9	152.4	169.3	186.2	194.7	203.2
6′ 1″	137.0	145.6	154.2	171.3	188.4	197.0	205.6
6′ 1½″	138.6	147.3	156.0	173.3	190.6	199.3	208.0
6′ 2″	140.2	149.0	157.8	175.3	192.8	201.6	210.4
6′ 2½″	141.8	150.7	159.6	177.3	195.0	203.9	212.8
6′ 3″	143.4	152.4	161.4	179.3	197.2	206.2	215.2

Formulae

When calculating weights, the result must be rounded to one decimal. Percentages may then be computed.

Mean ideal weight for women is

kilograms = 0.67005 × cm − 48.138

stone = 0.268008 × inches − 7.58044

pounds = 3.7521 × inches − 106.1261

The body height does not include shoes. The functions are valid for heights from 150 cm through 180 cm (4′ 11″ through 5′ 11″).

Mean ideal weight for men is

kilograms = 0.7099 × cm − 53.922

stone = 0.283947 × inches − 8.49126

pounds = 3.9753 × inches − 118.8777

The body height does not include shoes. The functions are valid for heights from 160 cm through 195 cm (5′ 3″ through 6′ 6″).

Ideal weight and BMI

• BMI (body mass index) is body weight in kilograms divided by the square of body height in metres
• The formula is the same for men and women
• Example: Weight 80.0 kg and height 1.90 metres gives 80.0 ÷ (1.90 × 1.90)  = 22.2

Normal judgement

• A BMI less than 18.5 is considered underweight
• A BMI of 18.5 through 24.9 is considered normal
• A BMI of 25.0 through 29.9 is considered overweight
• If the BMI is greater than 30, one is considered obese

Important remarks on exceptions

• Ideal weight and BMI have their limitations
• They are not to be used as the only basis for assessment
• Javelin throwers and weightlifters have a high BMI without health risks
• Ballet dancers and long-distance runners have a low BMI without health risks
• The above tables and BMI judgement are not to be used for children

Sources

• Per Hagen and Ola Veigaard (editors): Hvem Hva Hvor 1967: Aftenpostens oppslagsbok, page 498
• Ingrid Espelid Hovig (editor): Den rutete Kokeboken (1982), page 17
• Grete Waitz: Opp!: Fra 0 til 100 på 10 uker (1984), page 58
• The Old Farmer's Almanac 2008 (Yankee Publishing), page 284

In other languages

• Normalvægttabel (Danish)
• Normalvekttabell (Norwegian)