What is Ideal Weight?
Ideal weight refers to the numeric value on the weighing scale that is considered healthy based on your height, gender, and age. It is the weight at which your body can function efficiently without any health complications related to being underweight or overweight. The concept of ideal body weight is often used to assess the risk for conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
According to a 2020 report by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), the ideal body weight for Indian adults aged 19–39 is 65 kg for men and 55 kg for women, revising the decade-old standard of 60 kg and 50 kg, respectively. Alternatively, you can use an ideal weight calculator to know your ideal weight based on your age, height, and gender.
Ideal Weight for Indian Men
For Indian men, ideal weight generally varies based on height. Below is an approximate ideal weight range for Indian men based on commonly used formulas and population averages:
Height (ft/in)
Height (cm)
Weight Range (kg)
4′ 6″
137
28.5 – 34.9
4′ 7″
140
30.8 – 38.1
4′ 8″
142
33.5 – 40.8
4′ 9″
145
35.8 – 43.9
4′ 10″
147
38.5 – 46.7
4′ 11″
150
40.8 – 49.9
5′ 0″
152
43.1 – 53.0
5′ 1″
155
45.8 – 55.8
5′ 2″
157
48.1 – 58.9
5′ 3″
160
50.8 – 61.6
5′ 4″
163
53.0 – 64.8
5′ 5″
165
55.3 – 68.0
5′ 6″
168
58.0 – 70.7
5′ 7″
170
60.3 – 73.9
5′ 8″
173
63.0 – 76.6
5′ 9″
175
65.3 – 79.8
5′ 10″
178
67.6 – 83.0
5′ 11″
180
70.3 – 85.7
6′ 0″
183
72.6 – 88.9
6′ 1″
185
75.3 – 91.6
6′ 2″
188
77.5 – 94.8
6′ 3″
191
79.8 – 98.0
6′ 4″
193
82.5 – 100.6
6’ 5”
195
84.8 – 103.8
Ideal Weight for Indian Women
Like men, the ideal weight for Indian women also depends on their height and is typically lower due to differences in body composition. The ideal weight range for Indian women is given below:
Height (ft/in)
Height (cm)
Weight Range (kg)
4′ 6″
137
28.5 – 34.9
4′ 7″
140
30.8 – 37.6
4′ 8″
142
32.6 – 39.9
4′ 9″
145
34.9 – 42.6
4′ 10″
147
36.4 – 44.9
4′ 11″
150
39.0 – 47.6
5′ 0″
152
40.8 – 49.9
5′ 1″
155
43.1 – 52.6
5′ 2″
157
44.9 – 54.9
5′ 3″
160
47.2 – 57.6
5′ 4″
163
49.0 – 59.9
5′ 5″
165
51.2 – 62.6
5′ 6″
168
53.0 – 64.8
5′ 7″
170
55.3 – 67.6
5′ 8″
173
57.1 – 69.8
5′ 9″
175
59.4 – 72.6
5′ 10″
178
61.2 – 74.8
5′ 11″
180
63.5 – 77.5
6′ 0″
183
65.3 – 79.8
6′ 1″
185
67.6 – 82.5
6′ 2″
188
69.4 – 84.8
6′ 3″
191
71.6 – 87.5
6′ 4″
193
73.5 – 89.8
6’ 5”
195
75.7 – 92.5
How is Ideal Weight for Men and Women Calculated?
You can use the formulas given below to calculate the ideal weight for men and women:
1
Devine Formula:
For Men: Ideal Weight = 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet
For Women: Ideal Weight = 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet
2
Hamwi Formula:
For Men: Ideal Weight = 48 kg + 2.7 kg per inch over 5 feet
For Women: Ideal Weight = 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg per inch over 5 feet
3
Robinson Formula:
For Men: Ideal Weight = 52 kg + 1.9 kg per inch over 5 feet
For Women: Ideal Weight = 49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch over 5 feet
4
Miller Formula:
For Men: Ideal Weight = 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per inch over 5 feet
For Women: Ideal Weight = 53.1 kg +1.36 per inch over 5 feet
Guidelines on Daily Nutrition for Indian Adults
As per the National Institute of Nutrition, you must follow the following guidelines to reach your ideal body weight:
Consume a minimum of 2,000 kcal/day
Eat carbohydrates that supply approximately 50-60% of daily energy intake
Have 0.8–1 g of protein per kg of ideal body weight
Eat 25g of fat per day if you perform sedentary activity, 30g for moderate activity and 40g for heavy workout
Have at least 400g of fruits and vegetables per day
Role of BMI in Determining Ideal Weight
Several doctors also use BMI, or Body Mass Index, to assess health risks associated with weight. It helps to categorize you as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. Maintaining a healthy BMI is considered crucial as it leads to a lower risk of lifestyle-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, etc.
BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kg by the square of your height in meters (kg/m²). For Indian adults, a BMI between 18.5 and 22.9 is considered healthy. You can use a BMI calculator online to assess whether your weight is appropriate to your height. While BMI is a helpful screening tool, it does not account for muscle mass, bone density, or fat distribution. Hence, it should be considered alongside other indicators of health.

FAQs

  • Q. What is the ideal weight for an Indian male?

    Ans: The ideal weight for Indian males aged 19-39 years is 65 kg. However, it may vary as per your age, height, and sometimes body fat percentage.
  • Q. What is the ideal weight for a man and a woman in kg?

    Ans: As per the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), the ideal body weight for adult men is 65 kg and for adult women is 55 kg.
  • Q. What is the ideal weight for Indian women?

    Ans: The ideal weight for an Indian woman aged 19-39 years is 55 kg. However, it may vary with their height.
  • Q. What is the ideal weight for a 5’7" Indian male?

    Ans: The ideal weight for a 5’7” Indian male ranges from 60.3 - 73.9 kg.
  • Q. Is 80 kg heavy for a woman?

    Ans: The ideal weight of a woman depends on her height. For a woman with a height of 6’1” or above, 80 kg may be within the healthy range. But for someone shorter, it may be considered above the ideal weight.
  • Q. What is a healthy weight for a 5ft 7 female?

    Ans: The healthy weight range for a 5’7” female is between 55.3–67. 6 kg.
  • Q. What is the correct height and weight for age?

    Ans: There is no one-size-fits-all approach that can work for everyone. The ideal or correct height and weight as per age can vary from person to person based on their height, body fat percentage, fitness levels, and health parameters, such as blood sugar levels, BP levels, etc.
  • Q. What is the formula for IBW?

    Ans: The most common formula to calculate ideal body weight is the Devine formula. Check out the formula for IBW below:
    IBW for men = 50 kg + 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet
    IBW for women = 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet
  • Q. What is the ideal weight calculator?

    Ans: The ideal weight calculator is an online tool that uses your height, gender, and sometimes age to provide an estimated healthy weight range.
  • Q10. How to calculate ideal body weight for male and female?

    Ans: You can calculate the ideal body weight for males and females using an ideal weight calculator. You can also use height-weight charts or the Devine, Hamwi, Miller and Robinson formulas to know the ideal weight.