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How do you calculate your ideal healthy weight using the Broca formula? The Broca is the oldest and simplest formula to calculate the ideal body weight, as it only includes height in its calculation. For example, a person measuring 5 feet would have an ideal weight of 132 lbs. However, this formula is extremely approximate as it doesn’t take into account gender, age or even morphology.
For a more precise calculation of your ideal weight, other tools are available on our site, such as the Monnerot-Dumaine formula with wrist circumference, the Creff formula which takes into account body shape and age , or the Lorentz formula (sex/height).
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How do you calculate your ideal body weight using the Broca Index?
This is the oldest ideal weight formula. It was invented by Dr Paul Broca, a French surgeon, in 1871.
According to Broca’s formula, ideal weight is calculated on the basis of a single parameter:
- Height in centimetres
Discover the formula:
Ideal weight (in lbs) = Height (in feet) – 100
The pros and cons of the Broca formula:
Broca’s formula is considered a quick and easy way to determine a person’s ideal weight based on height. However, as with all formulas for determining ideal weight, it’s important to remember that the results obtained are only an estimate and do not take into account many other factors such as body composition, level of physical activity, age and eating habits. It’s always best to consult a health professional for a complete assessment of your weight and physical condition.
Advantage: this formula is simple and easy to calculate.
Disadvantage: it not only overestimates weight for women, but also for anyone whose height exceeds 1m65. This calculation formula is very approximate.
The history of Broca’s Index
Broca’s formula is another way of calculating a person’s ideal weight based on height. It was developed by French surgeon Paul Broca in 1871. The formula is simple and involves subtracting 100 from a person’s height in centimetres, then multiplying this number by 0.9 for women and 0.9 for men.
Who was Paul Broca?
Paul Broca was a 19th-century French surgeon and anthropologist. He is best known for his contribution to understanding the localization of brain functions, now known as the Broca Area. In addition to his work on the brain, Broca also worked on health and nutrition issues, notably developing Broca’s formula for calculating ideal weight.
All the formulas for calculating your ideal weight
The Lorentz formula, created by Dr Friedrich Lorentz (a member of the Department of Sports Hygiene at the Hamburg Institute) in 1929, is based on the Broca Index and it contains additional parameters, such as the person’s height and sex.
Advantage: It is the most common formula used these days to estimate your ideal weight.
Disadvantage: It’s an approximate formula as it does not take into account age or morphology.
Ideal weight for men(in lbs) = Height (in feet) – 100 – ((height in feet – 150) /4))
Ideal weight for women(in lbs) = Height (in feet) – 100 – ((Height in feet – 150) /2.5))
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is based on a weight-to-height ratio and it is used to determine and assess the risks associated with being underweight or obese.
In order to provide an even more accurate estimate of your ideal weight, this formula takes into account another parameter in addition to your height: your bone structure.
Advantage: It includes bone structure into its calculation, and muscle mass to a certain extent.
Disadvantage: The calculation formula is approximate.
Ideal weight (in lbs) = (Height in feet – 100 + 4 x Wrist circumference in inches) / 2
This is the oldest formula to calculate your ideal body weight: It was invented by Dr Paul Broca, a French surgeon, in 1871.
Advantage: It’s a simple formula that is easy to calculate.
Disadvantage: It’s an approximate calculation: It overestimates weight, not only for women, but also for anyone who is taller than 5 feet.
Ideal weight (in lbs) = Height (in feet) – 100
Dating back to 1891, Bornhardt’s formula was originally devised to determine the build of people enrolled in the army and thus determine their physical aptitude for military service. Although less popular than Broca’s Index, it is nonetheless more reliable and accurate, since it takes into account the individual’s specific build.
Advantage: It includes the chest circumference and, to a certain extent, muscle mass.
Disadvantage : It’s an approximate calculation.
Ideal weight (in lbs) = ((Height (in feet) x Chest circumference (in cm)) / 240
The formula was created by Professor AF Creff in the 1970s, and it offers a precise calculation of your ideal weight, provided that you have an accurate estimate of your body shape and type.
Advantage: It incorporates body morphology into its calculation, in addition to height and age.
Disadvantage: This formula is based on the distinction between “normal”, “broad” and “slender” people. These notions are relatively vague and subjective and thus the calculation remains fairly approximate.
For an individual with a “normal” build:
Ideal weight (in lbs) = Height (in feet) – 100 + (Age (in years) /10) x 0.9
For an individual with a “large” build:
Ideal weight (in lbs) = Height (in feet) – 100 + (Age (in years) /10) x 0.9 x 1.1
For an individual with a “slender” build:
Ideal weight (in lbs) = Height (in feet) – 100 + (Age (in years) /10) x 0.9 x 0.9
This formula was devised by Dr B.J. Devine in 1974. It was originally designed for medicinal dosage purposes. Widely used in English-speaking countries, this formula was employed by major medical and pharmaceutical houses between 1974 and 2000.
Advantage: It allows a given height, measured in feet, to be converted into an ideal weight, in lbs.
Disadvantage: The formula does not take age into account, thus it remains approximate.
Ideal weight for men (in lbs) = 50 (lbs) + 2.3 x [Height (in feet) – 60]
Ideal female weight (in lbs) = 45.5 (lbs) + 2.3 x [Height (in feet)- 60]
* one foot represents 30 centimeters.
The Perrault Formula is also a variation of Broca’s formula.
Advantage: This formula takes age into account.
Disadvantage: It does not take sex into account. However, it’s a very approximate calculation.
Ideal weight (in lbs) = Height (in feet) – 100 + (age (in years)/10) x 0.9
