1. What is Ideal Body Weight?

Ideal Body Weight (IBW) is an estimate of what a person's healthy weight should be based on their height and gender. The Devine formula is commonly used in medical settings for drug dosing calculations and nutritional assessments.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Devine formula:

Where:

• \( H_{in} \) — Height in inches
• 50 kg — Base weight for men at 60 inches (5 feet)
• 45.5 kg — Base weight for women at 60 inches (5 feet)
• 2.3 kg — Weight added per inch over 60 inches

Explanation: The formula provides different base weights for men and women, with the same incremental weight addition per inch of height over 5 feet.

3. Importance of IBW Calculation

Details: IBW is used clinically for determining drug dosages, nutritional requirements, and as a reference point for assessing obesity or underweight status.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter height in inches (1 foot = 12 inches), select gender. The calculator will provide the estimated ideal weight in kilograms.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use the Devine formula?
A: The Devine formula is widely accepted in medical practice, especially for calculating drug dosages where weight-based dosing is required.

Q2: What are the limitations of IBW?
A: IBW doesn't account for muscle mass, bone structure, or body composition. It may underestimate healthy weight for muscular individuals.

Q3: How does this differ from BMI?
A: BMI uses actual weight and height, while IBW estimates what weight should be for a given height. BMI is better for population studies, IBW for clinical applications.

Q4: Should athletes use IBW?
A: Athletes with high muscle mass may need to consider adjusted body weight formulas as IBW may underestimate their healthy weight.

Q5: How to convert inches to centimeters?
A: Multiply inches by 2.54 to get centimeters. For feet and inches: (feet × 12) + inches = total inches.