The "best" body weight is often interpreted as an ideal body weight (IBW), which can be precisely estimated using traditional formulas based on an individual's height and gender. While "best" can be subjective and influenced by various factors, these established calculations provide a widely used benchmark.
Understanding Ideal Body Weight Calculations
Ideal body weight calculations provide a general guideline for a healthy weight range. These traditional methods primarily rely on your height and assign different base weights and incremental values for men and women. The core idea is that as height increases, so does the ideal weight, but the rate of increase differs slightly between genders due to average physiological differences.
Formulas for Ideal Body Weight
The widely accepted formulas used in traditional weight calculators are as follows:
- For Men: Your ideal body weight is calculated by starting with 50 kg for the first 5 feet of height and adding 1.9 kg for every inch above 5 feet.
- For Women: Your ideal body weight is calculated by starting with 49 kg for the first 5 feet of height and adding 1.7 kg for every inch above 5 feet.
These formulas provide a specific target weight rather than a range, making it an "exact answer" in the context of these traditional calculations.
Example Calculations
To illustrate how these formulas work, let's look at a couple of examples:
-
Example 1: A man who is 5 feet 10 inches tall.
- Inches above 5 feet = 10 inches.
- Ideal Body Weight = 50 kg + (10 inches * 1.9 kg/inch)
- Ideal Body Weight = 50 kg + 19 kg = 69 kg
-
Example 2: A woman who is 5 feet 4 inches tall.
- Inches above 5 feet = 4 inches.
- Ideal Body Weight = 49 kg + (4 inches * 1.7 kg/inch)
- Ideal Body Weight = 49 kg + 6.8 kg = 55.8 kg
Ideal Body Weight Chart
The following table demonstrates how ideal body weight changes with height for both men and women, based on these traditional formulas:
| Height | Inches Above 5' | Men's Ideal Weight (kg) | Women's Ideal Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5'0" | 0 | 50.0 | 49.0 |
| 5'1" | 1 | 51.9 | 50.7 |
| 5'2" | 2 | 53.8 | 52.4 |
| 5'3" | 3 | 55.7 | 54.1 |
| 5'4" | 4 | 57.6 | 55.8 |
| 5'5" | 5 | 59.5 | 57.5 |
| 5'6" | 6 | 61.4 | 59.2 |
| 5'7" | 7 | 63.3 | 60.9 |
| 5'8" | 8 | 65.2 | 62.6 |
| 5'9" | 9 | 67.1 | 64.3 |
| 5'10" | 10 | 69.0 | 66.0 |
| 5'11" | 11 | 70.9 | 67.7 |
| 6'0" | 12 | 72.8 | 69.4 |
It is important to remember that these figures are based on specific traditional formulas that primarily consider height and gender. For a holistic view of health, other factors like body composition, age, and individual health goals are also important considerations.
