The origin of the "ideal" body weight equations

OBJECTIVE: To provide a historical perspective on the origin and similarity of the "ideal" body weight (IBW) equations, and clarify the terms ideal an d lean body weight (LBW). DATA SOURCES: Primary and review literature were identified using MEDLINE ( 1966-November 1999) and international Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-Novemb er 1999) pertaining to ideal and lean weight, height-weight tables, and obe sity. In addition, textbooks and relevant reference lists were reviewed. DATA EXTRACTION: All articles identified through the data sources were eval uated. Information deemed to be relevant to the objectives of the review we re included. DATA SYNTHESIS: Height-weight tables were generated to provide a means of c omparing a population with respect to their relative weight. The weight dat a were found to correlate with mortality and resulted in the use of the ter ms desirable or ideal to describe,weights. Over the years, IBW was interpre ted to represent a "fat-free" weight and thus was used as a surrogate for L BW. In addition, the pharmacokinetics of certain drugs were found to correl ate with IBW and resulted in the use of IBW equations published by Devine. These equations were consistent with an old rule that was developed from he ight-weight tables to estimate IBW. Efforts to improve the IBW equations th rough regression analyses of height-weight data resulted in equations simil ar to those published by Devine. CONCLUSIONS: The similarity between the IBW equations was a result of the g eneral agreement among the various height-weight tables from which they wer e derived. Therefore, any one of these equations may be used to estimate IB W.