The four formulas
Each formula was built from insurance and population data in the 20th century, and each starts from a base weight plus an allowance per inch above 5 feet (152 cm):
| Formula | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Devine (1974) | 50.0 kg + 2.3 kg/in | 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg/in |
| Robinson (1983) | 52.0 kg + 1.9 kg/in | 49.0 kg + 1.7 kg/in |
| Miller (1983) | 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg/in | 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg/in |
| Hamwi (1964) | 48.0 kg + 2.7 kg/in | 45.5 kg + 2.2 kg/in |
Why the formulas disagree
The four methods were designed for different purposes — drug dosing (Devine), insurance tables (Robinson, Miller) and clinical practice (Hamwi) — so they differ by several kilograms at the same height. None accounts for frame size or muscle mass, which is why the healthy BMI range (18.5–24.9) is often the more practical guide.
If you lift weights, expect to sit at or above the top of these ranges while still carrying little fat. Body composition (body fat calculator) tells you far more than scale weight does.