How to Calculate Ideal Weight? Dietitian Answered
What is the ideal weight, how is it calculated, how much should it be? Today , concepts such as underweight, underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, morbidly obese have been grouped according to certain criteria. These; It is determined by methods such as clinical observations, comparison of height and weight measurements with standards, and measurement of skinfold thickness. Experts recommend that the weight ranges should be maintained, especially according to the height of the people, and that they should not fall below or exceed this during their lifetime.
In this article, I share the ideal weight calculation method , which is very curious . You will be able to easily understand the ideal weight calculation, age-height-weight ratios, thanks to the table in which I explained in detail. How to calculate the ideal weight, how much should be the answer to your questions are waiting for you in the sub-headings!
What Should the Ideal Weight Be?
The body structure of every individual is not the same. For this reason, we cannot comment on whether the person is at a normal weight based on weight alone. An average interpretation can be made according to the standard we call body mass index (BMI). Body mass index (BMI) is the ratio of a person’s weight to the square of their height.
According to the body mass index result:
- Under 19, extreme weakness
- Ideal (normal) weight if between 19 and 25
- Between 25 and 30, slightly obese
- between 30 and 35 are obese
- If it is over 35, it is considered in the obese group.
How to Calculate Ideal Weight?
It is calculated according to a simple mathematical formula based on body mass index (BMI) = Weight / Height 2 .
For example:
- Let Ayşe’s weight be 80 kg and her height be 1.70 m.
- Ayşe Hanım’s body mass index (BMI) = 80 / (1.7) 2 = 27.68 kg/m2
- Ayşe Hanım’s body mass index (BMI) result was 27.68.
- Since his body mass index is between 25 and 30 standards, he is in the “slightly obese” group.
Ideal Weight Calculation by Height
When calculating the maximum and minimum weight that we can be according to our height, we should calculate the minimum and maximum of the 19 -25 range, which is the normal standard of the body mass index (BMI). In other words, we should calculate the result of the lowest weight body mass index we can be as 19, and the result of our maximum weight body mass index we can be as 25.
Let’s explain through an example:
1) Let’s calculate the maximum weight that Ms. Ayşe should have:
For this, the body mass index (BMI) result must be at most 25. So we’re going to multiply 25 by the square of his height.
25 × (1.7) 2 = 72.25 kg, that is, the maximum weight of Ms. Ayşe according to normal standards is 72.25 kg.
2) Let’s calculate the minimum weight that Ms. Ayşe should have:
For this, the body mass index result must be at least 19. So we’re going to multiply it by the square of its height by 19.
19 × (1.7) 2 = 54.91 kg, that is, the minimum weight of Ms. Ayşe according to normal standards is 54.91 kg.
Ideal Height – Weight Chart for Adults
If we give the average values with a standard table:
| Height (meter) | For men
average |
For men
Lower-upper limits |
For men
fat |
for women
average |
for women
Lower-upper limits |
for women
fat |
| 1.45 | – | – | – | 46.0 | 42-53 | 64 |
| 1.48 | – | – | – | 46.5 | 42-54 | 65 |
| 1:50 | – | – | – | 47.0 | 43-55 | 66 |
| 1.52 | – | – | – | 48.5 | 44-57 | 68 |
| 1.54 | – | – | – | 49.5 | 44-58 | 70 |
| 1.56 | – | – | – | 50.4 | 45-58 | 70 |
| 1.58 | 55.8 | 51-64 | 77 | 51.3 | 46-59 | 71 |
| 1.60 | 57.6 | 52-65 | 78 | 52.6 | 48-61 | 73 |
| 1.62 | 58.6 | 53-66 | 79 | 54.0 | 49-62 | 74 |
| 1.64 | 59.6 | 54-67 | 80 | 55.4 | 50-64 | 77 |
| 1.68 | 61.7 | 56-71 | 85 | 58.1 | 52-66 | 79 |
| 1.70 | 63.5 | 58-78 | 88 | 60.0 | 53-67 | 80 |
| 1.72 | 65.0 | 59-74 | 89 | 61.3 | 55-69 | 83 |
| 1.74 | 66.5 | 60-75 | 90 | 62.6 | 56-70 | 84 |
| 1.76 | 68.0 | 62-77 | 92 | 64.0 | 58-72 | 86 |
| 1.78 | 69.4 | 64-79 | 95 | 65.3 | 59-74 | 89 |
| 1.80 | 71.0 | 65-80 | 96 | – | – | – |
| 1.82 | 72.6 | 66-82 | 98 | – | – | – |
| 1.84 | 74.2 | 67-84 | 101 | – | – | – |
| 1.86 | 75.8 | 69-86 | 103 | – | – | – |
| 1.88 | 77.6 | 71-88 | 106 | – | – | – |
| 1.90 | 79.3 | 73-90 | 108 | – | – | – |
| 1.92 | 81.0 | 75-93 | 112 | – | – | – |
| BMI | 22.0 | 20.1-25.0 | 30.0 | 22.0 | 20.1-25.0 | 30.0 |
What Should Be Considered When Calculating Ideal Weight?
- The main factor to be considered is the fat ratio: The person’s body mass index (BMI) is high and may appear thin. This is more common in athletes. Because athletes have low fat but high muscle ratio, so even if it is reflected on the scale, their bodies are fit.
- According to body mass index, approximately 37.9% of men are light and 2.1% are obese in our adult population; 32.4% of women are light and 43% are obese.
- The unit of fat around the waist is more dangerous for health than obesity compared to BMI.
- It has been calculated that every 6 cm increase in waist circumference increases the probability of coronary heart disease by 24% .
- Waist circumference above 94 cm in men and 80 cm in women reflects the risky situation.
- Waist circumference greater than 102 cm in men and 88 cm in women is considered overweight.
Please try to maintain your ideal weight for a quality life. If necessary, get expert support in this regard, do not resort to unhealthy ways. The health of all of you is very, very important to us healthcare professionals. I hope this information was useful to you. Stay healthy, my love…
Dietitian Esengul IŞIK
