A person’s normal weight is that body weight at which he has the maximum chance of first of all being healthy, and secondly of being attractive in appearance. Compliance with normal indicators does not provide a 100% guarantee of health, but it reduces the risk of diseases and disorders, the risk factor of which is excess body weight. Statistically, those who maintain a normal weight for their height and age feel good even after intense training.
How to calculate normal weight
In reality, optimal weight is an abstract concept that means a certain average value obtained in a calculation that takes into account the physiological parameters of a person:
- height;
- age;
- gender;
- body features.
But when calculating normal weight, individual indicators are not taken into account:
- level of physical activity;
- muscle-fat ratio.
Therefore, the value obtained from the formulas cannot be called as accurate as possible. It is only an approximate guideline that is recommended to be used when monitoring body weight.
The most accurate boundaries of normal weight are considered to be the interval from the minimum to the maximum value, which, according to doctors, a person’s body weight should fall within.
There are several ways to determine normal weight:
- by height;
- by height and age;
- by BMI (body mass index).
Why know your optimal weight?
In most countries, the leading cause of dangerous diseases in people is obesity. If you find out your normal weight in advance and maintain it throughout your life, you can prevent the development of complex diseases.
The development of obesity provokes other problems, including:
- heart and vascular diseases;
- joint diseases;
- disruption of the digestive and respiratory systems;
- diseases of the endocrine system.
If in the process of calculating your body mass index you get a small value, it means your body is exhausted. This can be much more dangerous than obesity. This provokes a loss of strength, a weakening of the immune system and the development of vitamin deficiency. If you are underweight, you are more likely to develop diabetes, anemia, or osteoporosis. To prevent problems, it is recommended to regularly calculate your optimal weight and body mass index.
It is useful to know how body mass index is calculated and that normal weight is an important indicator. After all, the body mass ratio allows not only to show the possible degree of obesity. This is an incentive to put the body in order and prevent dangerous diseases. You can calculate the ideal weight by height and age for men and women using one of the formulas described in this article.
Calculation by height
The method of calculating normal weight by height is better known as Broca's formula, a French anthropologist. It is the most popular because it is the simplest of all. The formula is considered to be suitable for calculating normal body weight in people with a height of 155 to 185 cm.
How to calculate normal weight taking into account height using the formulas:
- For men: height (cm) - 110.
- For women: height (cm) - 100.
For example, a man’s height is 185 cm. In this case, the norm for him will be considered 185 - 110 = 75 kg. For a woman with a height of 165 cm, a healthy body weight will be 165 - 100 = 65 kg.
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When calculating using these formulas, the following must be taken into account:
- For people 20-30 years old, the calculated value should be reduced by 11%, and for those over 50 years old, it should be increased by 6%.
- Body type. It can be asthenic, normosthenic and hypersthenic. For asthenic, it is necessary to reduce the calculated norm by 10%, and for hypersthenic, on the contrary, increase by 10%.
The criterion for determining body type is the circumference of the wrist of the working hand:
- Asthenic: in women - less than 16 cm, in men - less than 17 cm.
- Normosthenic: in women - 16-18 cm, in men - 17-20 cm.
- Hypersthenic: in women - more than 18 cm, in men - more than 20 cm.
Lorentz formula
There is another way to calculate the normal weight of a woman or man, which takes into account only height. Here the calculation is carried out using the Lorentz formula:
Weight (kg) = (Height (cm) - 100) - (Height (cm) - 150)/2.
For example, for a man 190 cm tall the following are optimal:
(190 - 100) - (190 - 150)/2 = 70 kg.
Lorentz formula
A woman’s ideal weight = (height in centimeters – 100) – (height in centimeters – 150) / 2.
Ideal weight for a man = (height in centimeters – 100) – (height in centimeters – 150) / 4.
It is no coincidence that this formula is more often used to calculate women’s weight - it was originally created for the weaker sex, and at first it did not take men into account at all. If you try to calculate the optimal weight of a woman 170 centimeters tall in this way, you will get the following: (170 - 100) - (170 - 150) / 2 = 70 - 10 / 2 = 65 kg.
At first glance, the formula may seem too demanding in terms of weight compared to the previous version. Perhaps this formula indicates exactly the optimal weight of an 18-year-old young woman. But such calculations are fully consistent with the BMI body mass index and they can be used. But women taller than 175 cm should use another option. Those who are also confused by the proposed parameters should also turn to a different formula.
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Calculation of normal body weight by age and height
As such, there is no formula for normal weight depending on age and height. Here we are talking about a table of ready-made values. It indicates height, age and gender. It is enough to first find your height, then your age and gender, and find the value at the intersection of the required row and column. This will be your optimal body weight. The table below shows the normal weight of a person by age and height.
This formula can be used to calculate weight for most people, except:
- professional athletes;
- pregnant women;
- people suffering from edema and other disorders that lead to excess weight.
Calculation by body mass index
Another popular way to determine a person’s normal weight requires calculating the body mass index (BMI). But this technique is designed a little differently - it does not calculate a specific value of body weight, but determines whether it corresponds to the norm. BMI allows you to assess whether your body weight is overweight, normal or underweight.
The formula for calculating normal weight here is as follows:
BMI = Weight (kg)/Height2 (m).
With a weight of 75 kg and a height of 180 cm, the BMI will be 75/1.8 · 1.8 = 23.15.
The number obtained by the formula remains to be compared with the following values:
- less than 15 - acute lack of weight;
- 15-20 - underweight;
- 20-25 - normal weight;
- 25-30 - overweight;
- 30-35 - 1st degree obesity;
- 35-40 - 2nd degree obesity;
- more than 40 - third degree obesity.
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The optimal weight is considered to be one that corresponds to a BMI of 23. It is the calculation based on body mass index that is the most accurate today. It is designed for ordinary people, taking into account modern living conditions, medical advances and the latest observations. The BMI method is also recommended by WHO.
But the calculated value again turns out to be averaged. For example, athletes and weightlifters may have a higher BMI, but their body weight will not be considered obese. In addition, many who have a normal weight according to their BMI consider themselves overweight. This is possible because the technique does not take into account body type.
With the same BMI, the amount of fat and muscle may be different. Therefore, those who, even with a normal BMI, are not satisfied with their figure, are recommended to simply take up fitness and start following proper nutrition. For those who decide to improve their figure, sports nutrition and dietary products may be useful.
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Ideal weight calculation
- Body mass index
- Calculation of calorie intake
- Ideal weight calculation
- Calculation of calories during exercise
There are several methods that can be used to calculate your ideal weight.
The most common are the Brock and Borngaard formulas. First you need to determine your body type. Body type calculator
A very important indicator is not only the content of fatty tissue in the body, but also its distribution to various parts of the body. And, above all, this is the ratio of waist to hips.
For men: no more than 1
Women: 0.7
In accordance with this ratio, the body type is determined.
“Pear” is a female body type in which fatty tissue is located mainly on the buttocks and lower abdomen. “Apple” is a male body type, with fat located on the stomach, in the upper part of the body.
Calculation of body type using the Solovyov index
To find out your body type, use the Solovyov index calculation. The narrowest point of your wrist will tell you how wide your bone is. After all, if you, for example, are hypersthenic, then your ideal weight should be considered taking into account a rather heavy bone mass. There is no need to exhaust yourself with diets; perhaps there are no extra pounds in sight!
Broca's formula
This technique is based on taking into account the ratio of height, body weight and age of the patient. Normally, over the years, a person’s weight, regardless of his gender, should increase. Therefore, in some situations, kilograms perceived as excess are not actually excess.
Ideal weight calculator using Broca's formula
One of the most accurate methods for calculating ideal weight is Brock's formula. It takes into account the ratio of weight, height, body type and age of a person. It has been proven that with age, the weight of women and men should gradually increase - this is a normal physiological process. And the kilograms that some consider “extra” may not actually be so.
Under 40 years old:
Ideal weight = height (cm) – 110
Over 40 years old:
Ideal weight = height (cm) – 100
If you are an asthenic (thin constitution), you need to subtract an additional 10% from the resulting figure, but if you are a hypersthenic (strong build), you need to add 10% to the result.
Borngard's formula
This technique is considered more accurate, since it includes the circumference of the chest, which eliminates subjective self-assessment of the constitution. According to this formula, the ideal weight is calculated as follows:
Ideal weight = height (cm) * chest circumference (cm): 240
Ideal weight calculator using Borngard's formula
Methods for calculating body fat percentage
Many people want to get rid of fat as much as possible. But in fact, it performs many important functions, and the body cannot live without fat at all. In women, with a lack of fat mass, the menstrual cycle and the functioning of the reproductive system are disrupted. Fat also regulates energy balance and performs protective and heat-insulating functions.
For the female body, 15-31% body fat is considered normal, and for the male body - 14-25%. Methods for determining the amount of fat mass in the body:
- Special floor scales-analyzers with measurement of fat percentage. A simple but not very accurate method. To determine the percentage, just step on the scale and look at the displayed values.
- Caliper. A special device that allows you to measure the thickness of the fat fold. The value is compared with a special table, from which the percentage of fat is determined. The fold is measured 10 cm to the right of the navel, approximately 3-4 cm from the femur. The fold must be pinched and measured with a caliper.
- Hydrostatic weighing. The most accurate, but difficult to perform method, since it is necessary to contact a specialized institution. The measurement is made using a bathtub into which a person is immersed. Then the percentage of fat is determined by the volume of displaced liquid.
Another simple way to measure your body fat percentage is to compare yourself to a photo of your body with different amounts of body fat.
It is enough to find in the photo the picture that most closely resembles the outline of your figure. The method is not very accurate, but it allows you to determine how the body looks from the outside.
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