The weight that great enemy for so many people. Will I be over my weight? Or, on the contrary, will I weigh less than I should? The worry about weight can create an obsession, and, in reality, it is more important to eat a balanced diet and eat everything as healthy as possible. There are also parents worried about their children’s weight who do not know if they should go to the doctor. There are formulas to calculate the ideal weight in both adults and children, and we show them in detail in this FastlyHealarticle. However, do not forget that if you have any questions about weight or diet, it is advisable to go to a doctor or nutritionist so that they can prepare the recommended diet if necessary.
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Ideal weight in adults
There are several formulas to calculate the ideal weight, and we will talk about every one of them. However, it must be said that all of them are mathematical algorithm formulas and will give you a result that you should not take as final or exact. His thing is to interpret those numbers and take them as a reference. You must go to a specialist to help you with this issue.
Ideal weight according to height and weight
The World Health Organization (WHO) has established a table of recommendations for ideal weight based on the height-weight ratio from which we can get, for example, the following: a woman who measures 1.60 m will have an average build if her weight ranges between 50 and 56 kilos. It will be small if it goes between 48 and 51 and large if it is between 54 and 61 kilos. And a man of 1.73 m tall will have an average build if his weight is between 63 and 69 kilos.
These are some examples that appear in the table offered by the WHO. However, another of the measures it proposes is to surround your wrist with the thumb and middle fingers of the other hand. If they overlap one on top of the other, you will have a slight texture or constitution. If they touch, it will be expected, and if, on the contrary, they do not feel, your complexion will be relatively large.
However, and respecting the recommendations of the WHO above all, we are going to see other formulas to calculate the ideal weight.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is what is taken into account to calculate the ideal weight, and, in addition, it is recommended by the WHO. It is a formula that takes into account the height. However, it does not differentiate the sex of the person.
It is a parameter that will not work in those with large muscle mass since it could result in levels of obesity or overweight.
The Formula is straightforward, and consists of dividing the weight (in kilos) by the height (in meters) squared, kg / m2.
An adequate BMI is considered if the result is between 18.5 and 24.9. If it is above 25, there may be some extra kilos, and if it is below 18.5, they are missing. If the figure exceeds 30, one could speak of obesity.
Keep in mind that this Formula is only applicable in adults (over 18 years old) and cannot be tested in children unless a correction factor is applied.
Broca and Lorentz methods
The Lorentz method, like BMI, is also widely used to calculate ideal weight. It is derived from Broca’s Formula but adds the variation of sex.
Paul Broca was a French physician and surgeon who developed a formula to calculate the ideal weight of an adult regardless of age or gender. His Formula was based on the perfect weight being equal to the subtraction of the height (in cm) minus 100.
However, Lorentz gave him the sex differentiator and reformulated the equation in such a way that:
- Ideal weight for women = (height cm – 100) – (height cm – 150) / 2
- Ideal weight for men = (height cm – 100) – (height cm – 150) / 4
Ideal weight according to MetLife
Another method used to calculate ideal weight is the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), now called MetLife. Based on a study they conducted years ago collecting data from different people of both sexes, they wrote down the results in a table. From this, a formula to calculate the ideal weight came out as a reference, which is the following:
- Ideal weight = 50 + [0.75 x (height – 150)]
However, the study was carried out in 1983, and it is currently estimated that the results may not be exact, since from then until now, the physical condition and an increase in the average muscle mass of the population have been improved; therefore, consider that the result may not be ideal.
Ideal weight in children
Calculating the ideal weight in children is very different from that of adults since it must be taken into account that, since they are born and as they grow, the consequences vary a lot. Percentiles are taken into account. Measures are established to compare children’s growth based on shared values.
In the calculation of percentiles, it is taken into account that 50 is the average since it is valued at over 100%, and therefore 50% is the average of the children of their age. If, for example, a child is at a 75th percentile, it means that 25% of the children his age are taller and 75% shorter. In weight, the results are looked at the same way, although they are interpreted differently.
The percentiles also consider WHO tables as standard measures and, therefore, must be regarded to interpret the results. This is why the pediatrician will be the one who best gives you an idea of the baby’s weight.
However, there are also some formulas to calculate the ideal weight that the baby or child should be:
- The age (in months) multiplied by 0.5 + 4.5 is calculated for children under one year.
- From 1 to 5 years, the Formula would be the age, this time in years, multiplied by two and adding 8.5.
- For children older than five years, their age would be multiplied (also in years) by 3, and 3 would be added.
It should also be borne in mind that children grow much faster, especially in infancy and rising ages. For example, the baby may gain between 750 or 900 grams per month during the first three months of life. Until the sixth month or less, it will gain from half a kilo to 600 grams and decrease as it grows until it reaches one year.
The ideal weight is estimated, and it is always necessary to consider another series of values such as diet, the exercise we do, or the constitution of each one. For this reason, there are people who, no matter how much they eat, will take longer to gain weight or, for example, a nervous person will lose more fat than they eat and, therefore, their BMI may be below average values. This does not mean that this person is sick. That is why it is so important to go to a nutritionist to assess our ideal weight, even if we calculate it, and not take things ourselves. If you want a diet to lose weight or gain weight, the specialist will be the best help.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any condition or discomfort.
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I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.