desirable weight

Standardized tables of desirable (or ideal) weight for height for adults are based on life expectancy; both undernutrition and obesity are associated with increased risk of premature death. Desirable weight corresponds to a body mass index (the ratio of weight in kg/height² in m) between 20-25. Tables of ideal weight based on actuarial data were first published by the Metropolitan Life Assurance Co. of New York in 1942, replaced in 1959 by tables of average and desirable weights.