1. What is Ideal Body Weight?

Ideal Body Weight (IBW) is an estimate of how much a person should weigh based on their height and gender. For women, the standard formula calculates weight in kilograms based on height in inches.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Ideal Body Weight formula for women:

Where:

• \( height_{in} \) — Height in inches
• 45.5 — Base weight in kg for a woman 60 inches tall
• 2.3 — Weight added per inch over 60 inches

Explanation: The formula assumes 100 pounds (45.5 kg) for the first 5 feet (60 inches) of height, then adds 5 pounds (2.3 kg) for each additional inch.

3. Importance of Ideal Body Weight

Details: Ideal body weight is used clinically for nutritional assessment, medication dosing, and determining appropriate weight goals. It provides a standardized reference for healthy weight ranges.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter height in inches (1 foot = 12 inches). The calculator will estimate the ideal weight in kilograms based on the standard formula for women.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is this formula accurate for all women?
A: This is a general estimation. Individual variations in body composition, muscle mass, and frame size affect actual ideal weight.

Q2: How does this differ from BMI?
A: IBW provides a single target weight based on height, while BMI is a ratio of weight to height squared that categorizes weight status.

Q3: What about women shorter than 5 feet?
A: The formula can be used for heights under 60 inches, but may be less accurate for very short stature.

Q4: Should athletes use this formula?
A: Athletes with higher muscle mass may weigh more than their IBW without being overweight.

Q5: How to convert the result to pounds?
A: Multiply the kilogram result by 2.2046 to convert to pounds.