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Female Height and Weight Chart: Ideal Weight by Height

Female Height and Weight Chart: Ideal Weight by Height

A female weight chart can provide a quick reference for understanding how estimated body weight changes with height. Women often search for a chart to answer questions such as "What should I weigh for my height?" or "What is the target weight for a 5'2 female?"

There is no single weight that every woman of a particular height should reach.

Height is important when estimating body weight, but muscle mass, body composition, age, pregnancy, body frame, and overall health can also affect how weight should be interpreted.

Female Height and Weight Chart

The table below uses the Devine ideal body weight formula to provide estimated values for adult women at selected heights.

HeightEstimated Ideal Body Weight
5'0" (152 cm)45.5 kg
5'2" (157 cm)50.1 kg
5'4" (163 cm)54.7 kg
5'6" (168 cm)59.3 kg
5'8" (173 cm)63.9 kg
5'10" (178 cm)68.5 kg
6'0" (183 cm)73.1 kg

These are mathematical estimates, not required weights. The Devine formula starts with 45.5 kg at 5 feet and adds 2.3 kg for each inch above 5 feet.

Other ideal body weight formulas can produce different results, so a ladies height weight chart may not match another chart exactly.

Ideal Weight by Height for Women

Traditional ideal body weight calculations generally increase as height increases.

Using the Devine formula, selected estimates for adult women include:

  • 5'0": approximately 45.5 kg
  • 5'2": approximately 50.1 kg
  • 5'4": approximately 54.7 kg
  • 5'6": approximately 59.3 kg
  • 5'8": approximately 63.9 kg
  • 5'10": approximately 68.5 kg
  • 6'0": approximately 73.1 kg

These values illustrate how height affects the formula and are not exact healthy-weight targets.

A woman's healthy weight can be different from a traditional ideal body weight estimate because of muscle mass, body-fat percentage, body frame, and other health factors.

What Is the Target Weight for a 5'2 Female?

If you are searching for the target weight for 5 2 female, the answer depends on which method you use.

Using the Devine formula:

IBW = 45.5 + (2.3 × 2)

A woman who is 5 feet 2 inches tall is 2 inches above 5 feet.

IBW = 50.1 kg

So the Devine estimated ideal body weight is approximately 50.1 kg.

For comparison, the adult BMI range of 18.5 to less than 25 corresponds to approximately 47.4–63.8 kg at 5 feet 2 inches. This is a broader range because BMI provides a range of weights rather than a single ideal-weight estimate.

How Height Affects Recommended Weight

Height is one of the most important inputs in traditional ideal weight formulas.

A taller adult generally has a larger body size and therefore tends to have a higher estimated ideal body weight than a shorter adult.

For example, using the Devine formula, the estimate increases from 45.5 kg at 5 feet to 59.3 kg at 5 feet 6 inches.

However, height alone does not determine the weight a woman should have.

Two women who are both 5 feet 6 inches tall may have different:

  • Muscle mass
  • Bone structure
  • Body-fat levels
  • Fat distribution
  • Fitness levels

Therefore, a chart provides an estimate rather than an exact personal recommendation.

BMI and Healthy Weight for Women

Body mass index (BMI) is a screening measure that uses weight and height.

The formula is:

BMI = weight in kilograms ÷ height in meters²

For example, a woman weighing 60 kg with a height of 1.65 m would have:

BMI = 60 ÷ (1.65 × 1.65) = 22.0

For adults, the CDC classifies BMI as:

  • Underweight: below 18.5
  • Healthy weight: 18.5 to less than 25
  • Overweight: 25 to less than 30
  • Obesity: 30 or higher

These categories apply to adult women and men, although BMI does not directly measure body fat.

BMI can provide useful context, but it should not be interpreted as a complete assessment of a woman's health. A woman with substantial muscle mass may have a higher BMI because muscle contributes to body weight.

Why Women Can Have Different Healthy Weights

Women of the same height can have different healthy weights because bodies are not identical.

Factors that can affect body weight include:

  • Muscle mass
  • Bone structure
  • Body-fat percentage
  • Fat distribution
  • Physical activity
  • Age
  • Pregnancy and postpartum changes
  • Medical conditions
  • Medications

A woman who exercises regularly may weigh more than a chart estimate while still having a healthy body composition.

Pregnancy is another important situation. Standard adult ideal-weight charts are not designed to determine appropriate pregnancy weight or fetal growth. Pregnant women should use pregnancy-specific guidance from their healthcare professional.

Body Composition and Weight

Body weight tells you how much your body weighs, but it does not show what that weight is made of.

Two women can both weigh 65 kg while having different proportions of:

  • Muscle
  • Body fat
  • Bone
  • Water

This is why a female weight chart cannot determine whether someone has a healthy body composition.

For physically active women, waist circumference, strength, fitness, and other health indicators can provide useful context.

Weight Charts vs. Calculators

A height and weight chart provides a quick visual reference, while a calculator is more convenient for an exact height and formula-based estimate.

Use a chart when you want to:

  • Compare several heights.
  • See how estimated weight changes with height.
  • Get a quick general reference.
  • Understand traditional ideal weight estimates.

Use a calculator when you want to:

  • Enter an exact height.
  • Avoid manual calculations.
  • Convert between units automatically.
  • Get a result without searching through a table.

You can use the Howtigo Ideal Body Weight Calculator to calculate an estimated ideal body weight.

How to Calculate Ideal Weight for Women

One commonly referenced method is the Devine formula.

For women:

IBW = 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg × each inch over 5 feet

For example, for a woman who is 5 feet 6 inches tall:

She is 6 inches above 5 feet.

IBW = 45.5 + (2.3 × 6)

IBW = 59.3 kg

The estimated ideal body weight is approximately 59.3 kg using this formula.

If your height is in centimeters, converting it before using the formula adds another step. A calculator can make the process faster.

Summary

A female height and weight chart can help you understand how traditional ideal body weight estimates change with height, but it cannot determine one exact healthy weight for every woman.

Key points:

  • Height is a major factor in traditional ideal body weight formulas.
  • The Devine formula estimates about 50.1 kg for a 5'2 female.
  • BMI provides a broader adult weight range for a given height.
  • Women of the same height can have different healthy weights.
  • Muscle mass and body composition can make chart estimates misleading.
  • Pregnancy requires different weight guidance from standard adult charts.
  • A chart is useful for general reference, while a calculator is convenient for exact formula-based estimates.
  • Ideal body weight is an estimate, not a required target.

Use the chart as a starting point and consider body composition and other health factors when interpreting it.

Calculate Your Ideal Body Weight with the Howtigo Ideal Body Weight Calculator

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Adult BMI categories. https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/adult-calculator/bmi-categories.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About body mass index (BMI) for adults. https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/about/index.html

Devine, B. J. (1974). Gentamicin therapy. Drug Intelligence & Clinical Pharmacy, 8(11), 650–655. https://doi.org/10.1177/106002807400801005

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.). Assessing your weight and health risk. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/risk.htm

World Health Organization. (2021). Obesity and overweight. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight

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