Maximum Weight Limit Calculator Without BMI Charts
Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2009/09/19 - Updated: 2026/01/17
Publication Type: Conversion, Calculation
Category Topic: Calculators - Charts - Related Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This research from the University of Nevada Reno's Center for Research Design and Analysis provides a simplified alternative to traditional BMI calculations for determining healthy body weight. Developed by Professor George Fernandez using statistical analysis software, the method translates complex BMI formulas into easy mental arithmetic that anyone can perform without charts, calculators, or internet access. The approach establishes baseline heights and weights (5'9"/175 lbs for men, 5'/125 lbs for women) and adjusts by adding or subtracting 5 pounds per inch for men and 4.5 pounds per inch for women. This accessibility makes it particularly valuable for seniors, people with disabilities, and those in medically underserved areas who may have difficulty accessing or using traditional BMI charts and online calculators, while still providing weight recommendations that align closely with established healthy BMI ranges - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Reno, set out to give people a simpler way of calculating their healthy weight, and one that wouldn't require charts or online calculators. In addition, he doesn't think the "range" approach sticks in individuals' minds.
Main Content
Most of us are familiar with the term, Body Mass Index, or BMI, as an index to determine healthy body weight. But, calculating BMI involves a complex formula: weight in pounds is multiplied by 703, and then divided by height in inches squared. Charts or online calculators are then used to show a healthy weight range given an individual's height that corresponds to the "healthy range BMI." For example, a BMI chart indicates that a healthy range BMI of 19 to 24 translates to a "healthy weight range" of 120 to 150 pounds for a 5-foot, 6-inch individual.
If this sounds way too complicated to you, you're not alone.
George Fernandez, a professor of applied statistics and director of the Center for Research Design and Analysis at the University of Nevada, Reno, set out to give people a simpler way of calculating their healthy weight, and one that wouldn't require charts or online calculators. In addition, he doesn't think the "range" approach sticks in individuals' minds.
"We need a "Maximum Weight Limit, or MWL," he said, "one number that we know we can't go over, just like a speed limit."
So, using SAS software and statistical procedures, he discovered a much simpler way of calculating a Maximum Weight Limit, which closely corresponds to weight recommendations listed on BMI charts. But, you don't need to calculate or know your BMI, nor do you need a chart or online calculator to figure out your Maximum Weight Limit. "It's a very simple calculation that most of us can do in our heads," he explained. For men and women, there is a baseline height and weight:
- For men, the baseline is 5-feet, 9-inches tall and a Maximum Weight Limit of 175 pounds, meaning that a 5-foot, 9-inch tall man should weigh no more than 175 pounds.
- For women, the baseline is 5-feet tall and a Maximum Weight Limit of 125 pounds.
"These are nice round numbers that people can easily remember: 5-feet, 9-inches tall, 175 pounds for man; and 5-feet tall, 125 pounds for a woman," explained Fernandez.
From that starting point, you simply calculate how much taller or shorter you are, in inches:
- If you are man, you add or subtract 5 pounds for every inch you are taller or shorter than 5 feet, 9 inches. So, if you are 5-feet, 11-inches tall, you are 2 inches taller than the baseline of 5 feet, 9 inches. You add 5 pounds for each of those 2 inches, 10 pounds, to the baseline Maximum Weight Limit of 175. So, your Maximum Weight Limit is 185 (175 pounds plus 10 pounds).
- Women add or subtract 4.5 pounds for each inch they differ from the baseline height of 5-feet tall.
These Maximum Weight Limits correspond very closely to BMIs of 25.5 for men and 24.5 for women.
A BMI of 18.5 to 25 BMI is diagnosed as the "healthy range." Fernandez used a slightly lower BMI base for women and a slightly higher one for men because, on average, women have less muscle mass than men. Although some have debated using BMI as a means for calculating healthy weight because it does not take into account factors such as muscle mass, for example, it has been shown to work as a basis for calculating a healthy weight for more than 90 percent of the population and is the most universally used index in weight management programs.
"Now people can calculate their own Maximum Weight Limit, based on the BMI index, but without any calculators or charts," Fernandez said. "And, all they have to remember is that one number, 185 pounds for example, which is easier for most people than retaining a weight range, such as 155 to 185 pounds."
Fernandez also noted that this simple formula could be very useful in medically underserved areas of the world, and for individuals without access to technology and charts.
"Anyone, anywhere can calculate their Maximum Weight Limit if they know their height and this simple formula," he said. "People can calculate this in their heads and remember this."
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: What makes this formula particularly valuable isn't just its simplicity - it's the principle behind it. Rather than asking people to remember ranges or consult charts each time they need information, Fernandez recognized that a single, memorable number functions better as a practical health guideline. It's the difference between knowing the speed limit is 65 and being told it's "somewhere between 60 and 70." For populations facing barriers to healthcare access, whether due to disability, age, geography, or economic factors, this type of democratized health information removes unnecessary obstacles between people and their ability to monitor their own wellness. The formula won't replace comprehensive medical assessment, but it does what good public health tools should: it puts practical, accurate information directly into people's hands - or heads - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.