Desirable Body Weight Calculator

Entering Your Information

Do you know your desirable body weight? Use our Desirable Body Weight Calculator to find a body weight that may be best for you.

For your height, gender, and size of body frame, there exists a range of weights that are considered optimal. Desirable body weight changes with age and other factors. This tool is not appropriate for children or pregnant women.

If you have used other A.D.A.M. tools, some of this information may be filled in for you.

1. Select your body frame size: SMALL, MEDIUM, or LARGE.

2. Measure your height without shoes, and enter the figure in the space provided. Indicate if you are entering your height in feet and inches or in meters and centimeters using the drop-down list.

3. Indicate your gender using the drop-down list.

4. When you have filled in the required information, click SUBMIT.

More About This Tool

Maintaining a healthy body weight can significantly reduce your risks of a number of diseases and conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and depression. A healthy body weight has also been shown to improve overall quality of life. What is the desirable body weight for you?

Your desirable body weight depends on your gender, height, and body frame size. Fill in the information in the form and we'll calculate a range of body weights that may be best for you.

Interpreting the Results

The desirable body weight computed from your entered information is only an estimated range, and ranges are greater for taller people. It may not be accurate for women under 4'9" (145 centimeters) or over 5'10" (178 centimeters) or for men under 5'1" (155 centimeters) or over 6'3" (190.5 centimeters).

Your desirable body weight indicates a weight without clothing. It gives no indication of overall health and fitness. For more accurate assessments of the health risks related to your body shape and weight, use the Body Mass Indicator and the Waist To Hip Calculator tools.

Don't be discouraged if your weight is not within this range. The range provides only an estimate based on the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company weight and height tables in which the "desirable" weight is based on insured people with the longest life spans.

Keep in mind that this weight range does not distinguish between weight from excess fat and weight from muscle. (In fact, for a given volume, muscle weighs more than fat.) Your body composition, as well as where you store excess weight on your body, can provide additional clues as to how healthy your current weight is. Visit our Body Mass Index Calculator and our Waist-Hip Ratio Calculator to assess the health risks associated with your weight.

Review Date: 6/20/2008

Reviewed By: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Previously reviewed by Alan Greene, MD, FAAP, Department of Pediatrics, Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine; Chief of Future Health, A.D.A.M., Inc. (6/9/2006)