Your ideal weight range, compared.
Four classic clinical formulas plus modern BMI bands — in one table.
Ideal weight
- Devine (1974)70.5 kgMost common drug-dosing formula.
- Robinson (1983)68.9 kg
- Miller (1983)68.7 kg
- Hamwi (1964)72.0 kgThe one your old doctor probably still uses.
Good to know
Which formula is right?+
None is definitively 'right' — they were developed decades apart for different purposes. Devine (1974) is the one clinicians use for drug dosing. The BMI range is the most evidence-based for general health. Use all of them as a band, not a single number.
What's the Asian BMI adjustment?+
The WHO Western Pacific office sets healthy BMI at 18.5–22.9 for Asian adults, reflecting higher cardiometabolic risk at lower BMI in Asian populations. The narrower range shifts your 'ideal' weight down accordingly.
How do I know my frame size?+
Wrap your thumb and middle finger around your opposite wrist. If they overlap: small frame. Just meet: medium. Don't meet: large. Or measure wrist circumference — men: small <6.5 in, large >7 in; women: small <5.5 in, large >6 in.
