Ideal Weight Tables (Metropolitan Life)
Desirable weight ranges by height, sex and body frame
| Height (cm) | Small frame (kg) | Medium frame (kg) | Large frame (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 148 | 46.4 - 50.5 | 49.6 - 55.1 | 53.7 - 59.8 |
| 149 | 46.6 - 51.0 | 50.0 - 55.5 | 54.1 - 60.3 |
| 150 | 46.7 - 51.3 | 50.3 - 55.9 | 54.4 - 60.9 |
| 151 | 46.9 - 51.7 | 50.7 - 56.4 | 54.6 - 61.4 |
| 152 | 47.1 - 52.1 | 51.1 - 57.0 | 55.2 - 61.9 |
| 153 | 47.4 - 52.5 | 51.5 - 57.5 | 55.6 - 62.4 |
| 154 | 47.8 - 53.0 | 51.9 - 58.0 | 56.2 - 63.0 |
| 155 | 48.1 - 53.6 | 52.2 - 58.6 | 56.8 - 63.6 |
| 156 | 48.5 - 54.1 | 52.7 - 59.1 | 57.3 - 64.1 |
| 157 | 48.8 - 54.6 | 53.2 - 59.6 | 57.8 - 64.6 |
| 158 | 49.3 - 55.2 | 53.8 - 60.2 | 58.4 - 65.3 |
| 159 | 49.8 - 55.7 | 54.3 - 60.7 | 58.9 - 66.0 |
| 160 | 50.3 - 56.2 | 54.9 - 61.2 | 59.4 - 66.7 |
| 161 | 50.8 - 56.7 | 55.4 - 61.7 | 59.9 - 67.4 |
| 162 | 51.4 - 57.3 | 55.9 - 62.3 | 60.5 - 68.1 |
| 163 | 51.9 - 57.8 | 56.4 - 62.8 | 61.0 - 68.8 |
| 164 | 52.5 - 58.4 | 57.0 - 63.4 | 61.5 - 69.5 |
| 165 | 53.0 - 58.9 | 57.5 - 63.9 | 62.0 - 70.2 |
| 166 | 53.6 - 59.5 | 58.1 - 64.5 | 62.6 - 70.9 |
| 167 | 54.1 - 60.0 | 58.7 - 65.0 | 63.2 - 71.7 |
| 168 | 54.6 - 60.5 | 59.2 - 65.5 | 63.7 - 72.4 |
| 169 | 55.2 - 61.1 | 59.7 - 66.1 | 64.3 - 73.1 |
| 170 | 55.7 - 61.6 | 60.2 - 66.6 | 64.8 - 73.8 |
| 171 | 56.2 - 62.1 | 60.7 - 67.1 | 65.3 - 74.5 |
| 172 | 56.8 - 62.6 | 61.3 - 67.6 | 65.8 - 75.2 |
| 173 | 57.3 - 63.2 | 61.8 - 68.2 | 66.4 - 75.9 |
| 174 | 57.8 - 63.7 | 62.3 - 68.7 | 66.9 - 76.4 |
| 175 | 58.3 - 64.2 | 62.8 - 69.2 | 67.4 - 76.9 |
| 176 | 58.9 - 64.8 | 63.4 - 69.8 | 68.0 - 77.5 |
| 177 | 59.5 - 65.4 | 64.0 - 70.4 | 68.5 - 78.1 |
| 178 | 60.0 - 65.9 | 64.5 - 70.9 | 69.0 - 78.6 |
| 179 | 60.5 - 66.4 | 65.1 - 71.4 | 69.6 - 79.1 |
| 180 | 61.0 - 66.9 | 65.6 - 71.9 | 70.1 - 79.6 |
| 181 | 61.6 - 67.5 | 66.1 - 72.5 | 70.7 - 80.2 |
| 182 | 62.1 - 68.0 | 66.6 - 73.0 | 71.2 - 80.7 |
| 183 | 62.6 - 68.5 | 67.1 - 73.5 | 71.7 - 81.2 |
| Height (cm) | Small frame (kg) | Medium frame (kg) | Large frame (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 158 | 58.3 - 61.0 | 59.6 - 64.2 | 62.8 - 68.3 |
| 159 | 58.6 - 61.3 | 59.9 - 64.5 | 63.1 - 68.8 |
| 160 | 59.0 - 61.7 | 60.3 - 64.9 | 63.5 - 69.4 |
| 161 | 59.3 - 62.0 | 60.6 - 65.2 | 63.8 - 69.9 |
| 162 | 59.7 - 62.4 | 61.0 - 65.6 | 64.2 - 70.5 |
| 163 | 60.0 - 62.7 | 61.3 - 66.0 | 64.5 - 71.1 |
| 164 | 60.4 - 63.1 | 61.7 - 66.5 | 64.9 - 71.8 |
| 165 | 60.8 - 63.5 | 62.1 - 67.0 | 65.3 - 72.5 |
| 166 | 61.1 - 63.8 | 62.4 - 67.6 | 65.6 - 73.2 |
| 167 | 61.5 - 64.2 | 62.8 - 68.2 | 66.0 - 74.0 |
| 168 | 61.8 - 64.6 | 63.2 - 68.7 | 66.4 - 74.7 |
| 169 | 62.2 - 65.2 | 63.8 - 69.3 | 67.0 - 75.4 |
| 170 | 62.5 - 65.7 | 64.3 - 69.8 | 67.5 - 76.1 |
| 171 | 62.9 - 66.2 | 64.8 - 70.3 | 68.0 - 76.8 |
| 172 | 63.2 - 66.7 | 65.4 - 70.8 | 68.5 - 77.5 |
| 173 | 63.6 - 67.3 | 65.9 - 71.4 | 69.1 - 78.2 |
| 174 | 63.9 - 67.8 | 66.4 - 71.9 | 69.6 - 78.9 |
| 175 | 64.3 - 68.3 | 66.9 - 72.4 | 70.1 - 79.6 |
| 176 | 64.7 - 68.9 | 67.5 - 73.0 | 70.7 - 80.3 |
| 177 | 65.0 - 69.5 | 68.1 - 73.5 | 71.3 - 81.0 |
| 178 | 65.4 - 70.0 | 68.6 - 74.0 | 71.8 - 81.8 |
| 179 | 65.7 - 70.5 | 69.2 - 74.6 | 72.3 - 82.5 |
| 180 | 66.1 - 71.0 | 69.7 - 75.1 | 72.8 - 83.3 |
| 181 | 66.6 - 71.6 | 70.2 - 75.8 | 73.4 - 84.0 |
| 182 | 67.1 - 72.1 | 70.7 - 76.5 | 73.9 - 84.7 |
| 183 | 67.7 - 72.7 | 71.3 - 77.2 | 74.5 - 85.4 |
| 184 | 68.2 - 73.4 | 71.8 - 77.9 | 75.2 - 86.1 |
| 185 | 68.7 - 74.1 | 72.4 - 78.6 | 75.9 - 86.8 |
| 186 | 69.2 - 74.8 | 73.0 - 79.3 | 76.6 - 87.6 |
| 187 | 69.8 - 75.5 | 73.7 - 80.0 | 77.3 - 88.5 |
| 188 | 70.3 - 76.2 | 74.4 - 80.7 | 78.0 - 89.4 |
| 189 | 70.9 - 76.9 | 74.9 - 81.5 | 78.7 - 90.3 |
| 190 | 71.4 - 77.6 | 75.4 - 82.2 | 79.4 - 91.2 |
| 191 | 72.1 - 78.4 | 76.1 - 83.0 | 80.3 - 92.1 |
| 192 | 72.8 - 79.1 | 76.8 - 83.9 | 81.2 - 93.0 |
| 193 | 73.5 - 79.8 | 77.6 - 84.8 | 82.1 - 93.9 |
- With indoor clothing add 2.3 kg for men and 1.4 kg for women.
- With shoes add 2.5 cm.
Source: Build Study 1979, Society of Actuaries and Association of Life Insurance Medical Directors of America, 1980. © 1996, 1999 Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. PDF
How to read the tables
The tables above show the desirable weight range by height, sex and body frame (small, medium, large). Find the row for your height and the column matching your frame to read the weight range.
Where they come from and why they matter
In the 1950s the US insurer Metropolitan Life funded a large study on the relationship between weight and mortality, from which these tables derive. The edition shown here is from 1979 and gives the ranges associated with the lowest mortality. They are a historical reference for assessing weight, today complemented by body mass index (BMI) and ideal weight by the Lorenz formula.
How to determine your frame size
Your frame size (bone structure) is estimated from the width of your wrist or elbow relative to your height. The original tables assume weight measured in light clothing and low-heeled shoes, as noted with the tables.
Limitations of the tables
- They are based on an insured US population from decades ago and may not represent today's population.
- The frame size classification is partly subjective.
- They indicate a "desirable" range, not a diagnosis: for a full assessment consult a healthcare professional.