In 1943, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company introduced their standard height-weight tables for men and women. The tables were revised slightly in 1983. They were called "desirable" weights, which would indicate those persons with the lowest mortality rates4. However, the phrase "ideal weight5" gradually became associated with these tables in common usage, even though the word "ideal" was not specifically published with the tables.
Height & Weight Table For Women1
|
Height |
Small |
Medium |
Large |
|
4'
10" |
102-111 |
109-121 |
118-131 |
|
4'
11" |
103-113 |
111-123 |
120-134 |
|
5'
0" |
104-115 |
113-126 |
122-137 |
|
5'
1" |
106-118 |
115-129 |
125-140 |
|
5'
2" |
108-121 |
118-132 |
128-143 |
|
5'
3" |
111-124 |
121-135 |
131-147 |
|
5'
4" |
114-127 |
124-138 |
134-151 |
|
5'
5" |
117-130 |
127-141 |
137-155 |
|
5'
6" |
120-133 |
130-144 |
140-159 |
|
5'
7" |
123-136 |
133-147 |
143-163 |
|
5'
8" |
126-139 |
136-150 |
146-167 |
|
5'
9" |
129-142 |
139-153 |
149-170 |
|
5'
10" |
132-145 |
142-156 |
152-173 |
|
5'
11" |
135-148 |
145-159 |
155-176 |
|
6'
0" |
138-151 |
148-162 |
158-179 |
|
Weights at ages 25-59 based on lowest mortality. Weight in pounds according to frame (in indoor clothing) |
|||
Height & Weight Table For Men2
|
Height |
Small |
Medium |
Large |
|
5'
2" |
128-134 |
131-141 |
138-150 |
|
5'
3" |
130-136 |
133-143 |
140-153 |
|
5''
4" |
132-138 |
135-145 |
142-156 |
|
5'
5" |
134-140 |
137-148 |
144-160 |
|
5'
6" |
136-142 |
139-151 |
146-164 |
|
5'
7" |
138-145 |
142-154 |
149-168 |
|
5'
8" |
140-148 |
145-157 |
152-172 |
|
5'
9" |
142-151 |
148-160 |
155-176 |
|
5'
10" |
144-154 |
151-163 |
158-180 |
|
5'
11" |
146-157 |
154-166 |
161-184 |
|
6'
0" |
149-160 |
157-170 |
164-188 |
|
6'
1" |
152-164 |
160-174 |
168-192 |
|
6'
2" |
155-168 |
164-178 |
172-197 |
|
6'
3" |
158-172 |
167-182 |
176-202 |
|
6'
4" |
162-176 |
171-187 |
181-207 |
|
Weights at ages 25-59 based on lowest mortality. Weight in pounds according to frame (in indoor clothing weighing 5 lbs.; shoes with 1" heels) |
|||
The Met Life website gives the following instructions3 to estimate frame size:
"Bend forearm upward at a 90 degree angle. Keep fingers straight and turn the inside of your wrist toward your body. Place thumb and index finger of other hand on the two prominent bones on either side of the elbow. Measure space between your fingers on a ruler.(A physician would use a caliper.) Compare with tables below listing elbow measurements for medium-framed men and women. Measurements lower than those listed indicate small frame. Higher measurements indicate large frame."
|
ELBOW
MEASUREMENTS FOR MEDIUM FRAME |
|||
|
Height
in 1" heels |
Elbow |
Height
in 1" heels |
Elbow |
|
Men |
Breadth |
Women |
Breadth |
|
5'2"-5'3" |
21/2"-27/8" |
4'10"-4'11" |
21/4"-21/2" |
|
5'4"-5'7" |
25/8"-27/8" |
5'0"-5'3" |
21/4"-21/2" |
|
5'8"-5'11" |
23/4"-3" |
5'4"-5'7" |
23/8"-25/8" |
|
6'0"-6'3" |
23/4"-31/8" |
5'8"-5'11" |
23/8"-25/8" |
|
6'4" |
27/8"-31/4" |
6'0" |
21/2"-23/4" |
Credit should be given to the Med Life table creators for attempting to use "frame size" as a way to compensate for the differences between peoples body shapes and skeletal muscle mass. In theory, elbow-width or wrist-width does correlate fairly well with muscle and bone mass. But in practice, the definition of frame size is too difficult for people to use, so virtually nobody uses frame size as intended. Instead, people subjectively choose their own categories.
Most people who use the Met Life tables don't realize that they should specify their height while wearing "1 inch heel shoes". There are MANY websites using these tables that neglect to point this out.
The tables were designed for adults aged 25 to 59 years. They are certainly not suitable for children, and their usefulness in young adults is dubious. ( Remember that the tables were based on data collected by Life Insurance companies, and not many young adults have life insurance.)
The tables give reasonable results for people whose stature (tallness) is slightly shorter than the average, but the table results are poor for very short people, and particularly poor for tall people. This is illustrated in the following chart. The Met Life "medium frame" weight range is illustrated as a light blue or pink color. The median weight at each increment of height is the solid black line. Notice that they don't match in slope. For very tall men and women, the Met Life tables suggest impossibly low weights.