Ideal Weight by Frame Size — Small, Medium, Large Frame Guide

What an Ideal Weight Formula Tells You

An ideal weight formula is a simple height-based equation that estimates a typical body weight associated with general wellness in large population samples. The word "ideal" is misleading — these formulas were never intended to give a single perfect number for each individual. They are historical reference points developed by researchers in the mid-to-late 20th century for specific evidence-based purposes. Think of them as three rough estimates from three different eras, not as personal targets written in stone.

Our calculator displays three formulas side by side: Devine (1974), Hamwi (1964), and Robinson (1983). Each was derived on a different population using different statistical approaches, which is why they disagree by several kilograms for the same height. Presenting all three together lets you see the plausible range of reference weights rather than pretending any one formula is uniquely correct. We also show a ±10 percent band around each estimate because human healthy weight naturally spans a meaningful range even at identical height and sex.

The Three Formulas

All three formulas use the same underlying structure: a baseline weight at 5 feet (152.4 cm) plus an additional weight per inch of height above 5 feet. The constants vary. For heights below 5 feet, the math works out to subtractions rather than additions, and in practice the formulas become increasingly unreliable the further below 5 feet you go.

Devine Formula — Primary. Where It Came From and Why It Matters

The Devine formula is the most commonly referenced ideal weight equation in modern medical literature and evidence-based practice, but it was never actually designed to tell anyone what they should weigh. Dr. B. J. Devine published his famous constants in 1974 for a very specific purpose: estimating lean body weight in adult men and women so that clinicians could calculate appropriate compounds proper amounts, most notably for the anticoagulant heparin and certain chemotherapeutic agents whose safe dosing window depends on the volume of distribution of lean tissue rather than total body weight.

Devine himself did not call the result an "ideal weight." He derived his constants from a small set of earlier studies that had measured lean body mass via isotope dilution in a limited sample of adults. Over time, clinicians and textbooks began to use Devine's lean body weight estimate as a convenient shorthand for a "reasonable weight" in conversation with adults, and from there it spread into online calculators and popular wellness writing. Today the Devine formula is the default primary estimate in this calculator precisely because it is the most-cited historical reference in peer-reviewed literature, not because anyone in 2025 believes it is a definitive ideal target.

The Devine formula has no frame-size adjustment. This is an important limitation. Two adults with identical height and sex but very different skeletal frame sizes will receive the same Devine estimate even though the larger-framed person can healthily carry several kilograms more than the smaller-framed person. Our UI presents a frame-size selector so you can mentally contextualize the results: if you know you have a broad, large build, the upper end of the ±10 percent band is a more appropriate reference than the midpoint. For small-framed individuals, the lower end of the band is typically a better personal reference.

Hamwi and Robinson — Historical Context

The Hamwi formula was developed in 1964 and was widely used in evidence-based nutrition through the 1970s and 1980s. It produces slightly higher estimates for men and slightly lower estimates for shorter women compared to Devine. It was the standard "ideal weight" taught in many nutrition schools for a generation and still appears in some older dietary software and insurance tables. The Hamwi formula is also the basis for the Broca index variants you still occasionally see in older European textbooks.

The Robinson formula was published in 1983 specifically for athletic populations after researchers observed that Devine and Hamwi estimates were often unrealistically heavy for shorter athletes and unrealistically light for taller athletes. Robinson used a lower per-inch coefficient for both sexes and a heavier baseline at 5 feet. For people 5 ft 10 and taller, Robinson typically gives the lightest of the three estimates, which is why it is sometimes preferred in strength and conditioning contexts where high lean mass at a given height is common.

Worked Example

For a 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) male. 5 ft 9 in is 9 inches over 5 ft. Devine: 50.0 + 2.3 × 9 = 70.7 kg. Hamwi: 48.0 + 2.7 × 9 = 72.3 kg. Robinson: 51.7 + 1.86 × 9 ≈ 68.4 kg. The three formulas span a range of roughly 4 kg for this example, which is entirely typical and illustrates why no single formula should be addressed as a definitive answer. Taking each result and applying a ±10 percent healthful band gives a wide but realistic reference window.

FAQ-Style Explanations

Why doesn't the calculator adjust Devine for frame size? The original Devine formula has no frame-size term. Adding one would make it no longer the Devine formula. Some textbooks and calculators do add ±10 percent adjustments for small, medium, and large frame, but these adjustments were not part of the original publication and are not standardized across sources. To keep the formulas historically faithful, we display the unmodified Devine number as the primary result and present the ±10 percent band beneath it as a general healthy range that naturally accounts for frame.

If all three formulas disagree, which one should I use? Start with the Devine estimate as the most common medical literature reference. Then compare your current weight, how you feel, how your clothes fit, and your energy levels. If you feel energetic, recover well, have regular menstrual cycles if applicable, sleep well, and have normal blood markers at a weight outside these formulas, that weight is fine for you. These are population references, not verdicts.

How does frame size affect healthy weight? Skeletal frame size — measured roughly by wrist circumference, elbow breadth, or shoulder width relative to height — creates a range of healthy weights that can differ by 8 to 12 kg between a small-framed and large-framed person of the same height and sex. Frame size has a genetic component and does not change in adulthood. People who are large-boned are not "overweight" simply because they exceed a formula midpoint. Use the ±10 percent band and your own common sense.

Known Limitations

• These formulas were never designed as standalone wellness tools. Devine was for compounds dosing, Hamwi was for older evidence-based practice, Robinson was for athletic populations.
• None of them account for body composition. Two people with identical height and sex can have the same weight but very different ratios of muscle to fat with very different metabolic health profiles.
• None of them account for age. Body composition changes with age, and a weight that is appropriate at 30 may or may not be appropriate at 70.
• Reliability degrades at heights far from the 5 ft baseline. The formulas become increasingly speculative for people shorter than roughly 150 cm or taller than roughly 195 cm.
• No prospective study has ever shown that matching one of these formula midpoints produces better long-term health outcomes than simply staying within a broad BMI Normal band and maintaining consistent physical activity and good nutrition.
• Not intended for use by children, adolescents, or pregnant or lactating individuals.

Why Frame Size Matters for Ideal Weight

Two people of the same height and sex can reasonably differ by 8 to 12 kg in healthy weight because of frame size. A larger skeletal frame carries more bone mass, more connective tissue, and supports more muscle, so a large-frame adult naturally weighs more than a small-frame adult of the same height. The classic ideal weight formulas (Devine, Hamwi, Robinson) were built on population averages and do not account for frame size, which is why the ±10 percent healthy reference range exists — it covers the small-to-large frame spread. Applying a frame size adjustment on top of the formula estimate narrows the target zone to something more realistic for your individual bone structure.

How to Measure Frame Size

The two practical methods for estimating frame size are wrist circumference and elbow breadth. Both are quick and need only a flexible tape or a small caliper.

• Wrist circumference: Measure just below the wrist bone with a flexible tape, on the right wrist by convention. Compare against the height-based thresholds below.
• Elbow breadth: Bend the right elbow to 90 degrees, measure the distance between the two bony points on either side of the elbow joint with a caliper. This method is slightly more reliable but needs a caliper.

Wrist Circumference Thresholds

Applying the Frame Size Adjustment

Once you have estimated your frame size, apply a small adjustment to the formula baseline. A common rule is to subtract roughly 10 percent for a small frame, keep the formula value for a medium frame, or add roughly 10 percent for a large frame. The table below shows the adjusted ranges for a 175 cm man (Devine baseline 70.7 kg):

The same pattern applies to women using the female baseline. The adjustment is approximate — use it to shift the target zone, not to chase a precise number. Frame size changes very little in adulthood, so once you have estimated it, the adjustment stays the same.

Why the ±10 Percent Range Exists

The ±10 percent healthy reference range applied to ideal weight formulas exists largely to cover the small-to-large frame spread. A small-frame adult at the formula estimate would sit at the upper edge of their personal healthy range, while a large-frame adult at the same formula estimate would sit at the lower edge. By adjusting the target zone for frame size, you narrow the range to something more useful for your individual bone structure. This is also why two healthy people of the same height can differ by 8 to 12 kg without either carrying excess weight — the larger-framed person simply has more bone and muscle to carry.

Practical Tips

• Measure wrist circumference just below the wrist bone on the right wrist. Use the same tape each time, though frame size is stable in adulthood.
• Apply the ±10 percent adjustment based on your frame. Small subtracts, medium keeps the baseline, large adds.
• Cross-check the adjusted target against the BMI Normal band (18.5 to 24.9). The two usually agree for medium frames; large frames often sit at the upper end of BMI Normal.
• If you are resistance-trained, expect your sustainable weight to sit at the upper end of your frame-adjusted range or slightly above due to muscle mass.
• Pair the frame-adjusted target with body fat percentage and waist circumference for a fuller picture of body composition.