How ideal weight is estimated
Ideal weight (BMI 22) sets your weight so your BMI lands at 22 — the ideal BMI (WHO Asia-Pacific / KSSO), near the upper end of the Asian normal range. The range shows the full Asia-Pacific normal band, and the Devine formula is a classic clinical estimate based on height alone.
- 22 — target BMI (WHO Asia-Pacific / KSSO ideal)
- 18.5–22.9 — Asia-Pacific normal BMI range
- height (in) — height in inches; 60 in = 152.4 cm
More detail
Why 22, not the usual 24.9
The commonly cited international "normal" BMI range runs up to 24.9. WHO's Asia-Pacific guidance and the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity use a lower ideal (BMI 22) and a lower normal ceiling (22.9), reflecting that health risk rises earlier at a given BMI in Asian populations. This calculator uses the Asian standard, not the wider international one.
About the Devine formula
Devine (1974) was originally designed to estimate drug dosing weight in clinical settings, not a beauty or fitness target. It depends only on height and sex, so it can diverge from the BMI-based estimates, especially at very short heights where the linear formula can turn negative — in that case this calculator shows "—" instead of a meaningless number.
Practical tip. Treat the range, not the single number, as your target. Body composition (muscle vs. fat) matters more than hitting an exact weight — someone athletic can sit above the ideal weight and still be healthy.
Frequently asked questions
What is my ideal weight for my height?
This calculator uses BMI 22 — the ideal BMI (WHO Asia-Pacific / KSSO), near the upper end of the Asian normal range — so ideal weight = 22 × height (m)². Enter your height above for the exact figure and the full normal-weight range.
Why does this use BMI 22 instead of the usual 24.9 cutoff?
WHO's Asia-Pacific guidance and the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity use a lower ideal (BMI 22) and lower normal ceiling (22.9), since health risk rises earlier at a given BMI in Asian populations. This calculator follows that standard, not the wider international one.
What's the difference between the ideal weight and the Devine formula results?
Ideal weight (BMI 22) is based on your height squared; the Devine formula (1974) is a separate clinical estimate from height and sex used for drug-dosing calculations. They can diverge, especially at shorter heights — compare both outputs above rather than treating either as a single "correct" number.