What is a healthy weight?

A healthy weight is generally defined as a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. For a person 175 cm tall, this corresponds to approximately 57–76 kg. The WHO range uses the same cut-offs for adult men and women of every age, so only your height changes it.

Is it possible to be healthy outside the healthy weight range?

Yes. BMI and weight-for-height formulas do not account for muscle mass, bone density, or fat distribution. Some athletes are above the normal BMI range but have low body fat, while some people in the normal range have excess visceral fat.

How quickly should I try to reach a healthy weight?

A safe and sustainable rate is 0.5–1 kg per week. Faster loss risks muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, and is harder to maintain long-term. Consult a healthcare professional for personalised guidance.

Does the calculator keep what I enter?

The values exist only in the open page and are not written to browser storage, so reloading the page clears them. All calculations run in your browser. Our servers are not involved at any point.

Healthy weight calculator

A healthy weight is not a single number. It is a range. Enter your height and sex to see your healthy weight range using WHO BMI standards (18.5–24.9) alongside the Hamwi and Devine clinical formulas used in healthcare settings.

Sex

Height units

Height (cm)

Results are for informational purposes and do not constitute medical advice.

How it works

Three formulas are calculated and shown simultaneously. Hamwi (1964): men 48 kg + 2.7 kg per inch over 5 ft; women 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch over 5 ft. Devine (1974): men 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft; women 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft. WHO BMI range applies BMI 18.5–24.9 to height (m²) to give a weight range. Imperial inputs are converted to metric (1 ft = 30.48 cm, 1 in = 2.54 cm) before calculation. All arithmetic runs locally in your browser.

Processing runs in your browser

All calculations happen locally in your browser tab. Our servers are not involved at any point.

Technical specification

The Hamwi formula comes from G.J. Hamwi's chapter Therapy: changing dietary concepts in Diabetes Mellitus: Diagnosis and Treatment (American Diabetes Association, 1964) and is widely used in dietetics. The Devine formula was published by B.J. Devine in Drug Intelligence and Clinical Pharmacy (1974), in a paper on gentamicin dosing, and is standard in drug dosing for renally cleared medications. The WHO BMI range (18.5–24.9) is derived from the WHO Technical Report Series 894 (2000) and is considered the most broadly evidence-based reference.

Hamwi formula: Hamwi, American Diabetes Association, 1964
Devine formula: Devine, Drug Intell Clin Pharm, 1974
WHO BMI range: BMI 18.5–24.9 (WHO TRS 894, 2000)
Browser API: Pure JavaScript arithmetic. No library

Related operations

For a general weight category from your height and weight, try the BMI calculator. To measure body composition with circumference inputs, use the body fat calculator. For daily energy targets at a goal weight, see the calorie calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What is a healthy weight?: A healthy weight is generally defined as a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. For a person 175 cm tall, this corresponds to approximately 57–76 kg. The WHO range uses the same cut-offs for adult men and women of every age, so only your height changes it.
Is it possible to be healthy outside the healthy weight range?: Yes. BMI and weight-for-height formulas do not account for muscle mass, bone density, or fat distribution. Some athletes are above the normal BMI range but have low body fat, while some people in the normal range have excess visceral fat.
How quickly should I try to reach a healthy weight?: A safe and sustainable rate is 0.5–1 kg per week. Faster loss risks muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, and is harder to maintain long-term. Consult a healthcare professional for personalised guidance.
Does the calculator keep what I enter?: The values exist only in the open page and are not written to browser storage, so reloading the page clears them. All calculations run in your browser. Our servers are not involved at any point.

Last reviewed September 30, 2026

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