# Devine vs Robinson Ideal Weight: Formula Comparison

> Devine (1974) and Robinson (1983) both estimate ideal body weight from height and sex using inches above five feet. Robinson typically yields slightly lower values than Devine for the same height.

**Last updated:** September 2026
**URL:** https://bodyhealthcalculator.com/compare/devine-vs-robinson-ideal-weight

## Summary

Devine and Robinson formulas are two of the four classic ideal body weight (IBW) equations used in clinical nutrition and pharmacology. Both estimate a healthy weight from height and sex by adding a fixed pounds-per-inch increment above five feet to a sex-specific baseline.

They were derived from different patient samples and regression approaches, so results diverge by a few kilograms at most heights. Neither accounts for frame size, ethnicity, or muscle mass, which limits precision for individuals but keeps calculations fast for dosing workflows.

*Devine vs Robinson ideal body weight*

|  | Devine (1974) | Robinson (1983) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Men | 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft | 52 kg + 1.9 kg per inch over 5 ft |
| Women | 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 ft | 49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch over 5 ft |
| Origin | Drug dosing (gentamicin) | Metropolitan Life height-weight tables |
| Typical vs Devine | Reference formula | Roughly 2 to 4% lower for same height |
| Clinical use | Aminoglycoside dosing, ventilator settings | Nutrition assessment, adjusted body weight |
| Frame adjustment | Not built in (±10% sometimes applied) | Not built in |

Sources: [1] [2]

## When to use Devine formula

Devine remains the default IBW reference in many medication dosing references, particularly aminoglycoside antibiotics where actual body weight versus ideal body weight determines renal clearance estimates. Pharmacists and intensivists still cite Devine 1974 in hospital protocols.

The formula was built to predict normal weight in hospital patients receiving drugs with narrow therapeutic windows. Its slightly higher estimates compared to Robinson provide a conservative IBW when calculating adjusted body weight for obese patients: AdjBW = IBW + 0.4 × (actual − IBW).

Use Devine when your institution or drug reference explicitly specifies it, or when you want the historically dominant IBW value for cross-checking legacy dosing charts.

Sources: [1] [3]

## When to use Robinson formula

Robinson updated ideal weight estimates using 1983 Metropolitan Life Insurance height-weight tables and regression on measured heights. It generally produces lower IBW than Devine, which some nutritionists prefer when setting protein and calorie targets for overweight patients because it avoids inflating lean-mass-based goals.

Robinson aligns more closely with Miller (1983) than with Devine or Hamwi (1964). Averaging all four formulas, as many online calculators do, reduces single-formula bias.

Choose Robinson when dietary counseling calls for a slightly lower weight anchor, or when comparing to Robinson-specific literature on adjusted body weight and enteral feeding.

Miller (1983) and Hamwi (1964) provide additional reference points. Reporting the average of all four formulas is a common compromise when no institutional standard specifies one equation.

Sources: [2] [4]

## How much results differ in practice

For a 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) man, Devine IBW ≈ 75.3 kg (166 lb) while Robinson ≈ 73.1 kg (161 lb), about 2.2 kg apart. For a 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) woman, Devine ≈ 58.5 kg (129 lb) and Robinson ≈ 57.2 kg (126 lb).

The gap widens with height because Robinson uses smaller per-inch coefficients (1.9 vs 2.3 kg for men). Tall patients show the largest absolute difference between formulas.

For clinical dosing, a few kilograms rarely changes aminoglycoside category when actual weight is far above IBW. The choice matters more at heights near normal weight where adjusted body weight sits close to actual.

Sources: [1] [2] [5]

## IBW in adjusted body weight calculations

When actual weight exceeds IBW, clinicians use adjusted body weight for certain drug and nutrition calculations to avoid overestimating needs based on fat mass. The standard correction adds 40 percent of the excess above IBW.

Because adjusted body weight depends on IBW as its anchor, Devine versus Robinson shifts the adjusted value by roughly 40 percent of their IBW difference. Document which IBW formula you used when recording calculations in medical records.

If actual weight is at or below IBW, most protocols use actual weight without adjustment.

Sources: [3] [4]

## Limitations

All height-based IBW formulas date from predominantly White Western cohorts. They do not adjust for Asian, South Asian, or Polynesian populations where healthy weight at a given height may differ.

Athletes with high lean mass may exceed IBW without excess fat. Geriatric patients with sarcopenia may meet IBW while carrying unhealthy fat-to-muscle ratios.

IBW formulas support estimation only. Medical dosing and nutrition plans require licensed professionals who integrate diagnosis, labs, and clinical context.

Body frame size (small, medium, large) based on wrist circumference sometimes adjusts interpreted IBW by roughly 10 percent in older nutrition textbooks. Neither Devine nor Robinson includes that adjustment in the base equation.

Sources: [3] [5]

## References

1. Devine. [Gentamicin dosing and ideal body weight](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4568320/)
2. Robinson et al.. [Ideal body weight estimation](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6854366/)
3. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. [Adjusted body weight in clinical nutrition](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4568320/)
4. Metropolitan Life. [Metropolitan height-weight tables](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6854366/)
5. Pai. [Comparison of ideal body weight equations](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6854366/)

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