EXPECTED BODY WEIGHTS FOR WOMEN
If height is between the heights on the chart (i.e., 5'1 1/4'') round height down to the nearest ½ inch (i.e., 5'1'').
| Height | 65% of ideal | 75% | 85% | 90% | 100% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4' 10'' | 70 lbs | 81 | 91 | 97 | 107 |
| 4' 10 ½'' | 71 | 82 | 92 | 98 | 109 |
| 4' 11'' | 72 | 83 | 94 | 99 | 110 |
| 4' 11 ½'' | 73 | 84 | 95 | 101 | 112 |
| 5' 0'' | 74 | 85 | 96 | 102 | 113 |
| 5' ½'' | 75 | 86 | 98 | 103 | 115 |
| 5' 1'' | 76 | 87 | 99 | 105 | 116 |
| 5' 1 ½'' | 77 | 89 | 100 | 106 | 118 |
| 5' 2'' | 78 | 90 | 102 | 108 | 120 |
| 5' 2 ½'' | 79 | 91 | 103 | 109 | 121 |
| 5' 3'' | 80 | 92 | 105 | 111 | 123 |
| 5' 3 ½'' | 82 | 94 | 107 | 113 | 125 |
| 5' 4'' | 84 | 96 | 109 | 115 | 128 |
| 5' 4 ½'' | 85 | 97 | 110 | 117 | 130 |
| 5' 5'' | 86 | 99 | 112 | 119 | 132 |
| 5' 5 ½'' | 87 | 100 | 114 | 120 | 134 |
| 5' 6'' | 89 | 102 | 115 | 122 | 136 |
| 5' 6 ½'' | 90 | 103 | 117 | 124 | 138 |
| 5' 7'' | 91 | 105 | 119 | 126 | 140 |
| 5' 7 ½'' | 93 | 106 | 120 | 128 | 142 |
| 5' 8'' | 94 | 108 | 122 | 129 | 144 |
| 5' 8 ½'' | 95 | 109 | 124 | 131 | 146 |
| 5' 9'' | 97 | 111 | 126 | 133 | 148 |
| 5' 9 ½'' | 98 | 112 | 127 | 135 | 150 |
| 5' 10'' | 99 | 114 | 129 | 137 | 152 |
Data collected by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Derived primarily from data of the Build and Blood Pressure Study, Society of Actuaries, 1959. New York, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1960.
Note: There are alternative methods to calculate one's ideal body weight. While the above chart has significant flaws, it is useful in that the target weights are straightforward, consistent, and easy to calculate. Moreover, it is clinically useful and is the method of calculation used in our Eating Disorders Unit.