Evening star., 1926-03-21
WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD WEIGH
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.


One of the most frequently recur-
ring questions received by newspapers
from readers who take advantage of
free information services concerns the
proper or normal weight for persons
of specified ages and heights.
II am feet 3 and 81 years old
what should / weight" one question
will run. Another anxious inquirer will
state her or his-and it is usually
her--age height and weight and ask
how much of the poundage should he
Topped off to attain normalcy. Still
another. who apparently wants to b
admired and applauded. will give the
basic vital statistics and then ask,
Don't you think my weight is about
right"
The correct answer to all such ques~
,ions is that nobody knows. Physi-
clans do not know, nor do life tnsur-
ance actuaries, who are supposed to
know practically everything about the
various types of humankind.
The reason that nobody knows Is
that the proper or normal weight OF
an individual-what he should weigh
is that weight al which he enjoys the
maximum of health and physical eff
cheney. and it may not be the same for
two individuals OF the same sex, age
and height.
Average Individual Weight.
There is. however. an average weight
for the Individual; based upon sex, age
and height. That Is altogether q diff
ferent question. and one that the actu-
aries and dietitians determine statis-
tfcallv, Almost all of the penny or
nickel in the slot scales that are found
in drug stores hotel lobbies. railroad
stations and other public places dis
play average weight tables. newspa-
pers and magazines frequently pub
lish such tables and physicians con-
stantly refer to them. All this is
partly responsible for the widespread
but erroneous idea that average
weight and proper or normal weight
are one and the same thing.
A more potent factor, perhaps, In
establishing this popular misconcep-
ton is the glib and cocksure manner
with which some physical culture in
structors. many alleged authorities on
weight control through corrective eat
ing and practically all dispensers OF
quack reducing remedies and nos
trums will tell the prospective client
or patient exactly what he or she
should weigh.
"My dear madam" says one such.
"you are Just 40 pounds overweight"
He may not say It to her personally.
He may say II through an advertise
ment, but dear madam accepts 1t AS
gospel truth and proceeds accordingly.
Ideal Weights TabuIsted.
Some Of the experts on dietetics
supplement their tables of average
weights with tables OF ideal weights,
although they are careful to state that
their ideal weights are for men and
women of average frame and muscu.
lar development, and equally careful
not to state how they determined the
ideal weights.
One of these double.barreled tables
shows that the average weight OF men
of all heights from feet to feet 5.
and of ages ranging from 20 to 80, fs
always under the ideal weight. while
from 35 years to IS the average
weight is invariably more than the
ideal weight. At no age and height
are the average weight ana loedi
weights identical.
S feet inches tall. at the age OF 20,
the average weight is 144. and the
ideal weight. 1876: at 25, average l49'
ideal 100: at 30. average 152. ideal l57;
at 35, average 1855. ideal 1853: at 40.
average 1853, ideal 149: at As, average
16O, ideal las; at so. average 161. ideal
143~ at 55. average 1872, ideal lao
pounds.
With respect to women, this table
shows that for the age Of 20, and for
heights from feet 8 to 4 feet II. the
average and ideal weights are identt-
cal, ranging from 106 to 112 pounds.
with a variant of 2 pounds for each
inch in height. At 25, the average and
ideal weights coincide at heights Of
S feet / and feet 2, being, respective
ly, .119 and 121 pounds; they coincide
again at the age of 30 for women of
feet 4, 131 pounds, and they coin
eide for the last time for the female
of the species when she is 35 and
6 feet tall. when, If she tips the scale
at 163, she may flatter herself that
she is Of both the average and the
! ideal weight. With the exceptions
noted, the average weight of women
is above the ideal weight from the age
of 25 on.
Adult Weight Conference.
An adult weight conference has just
been held in New York City. under
the auspices of the American Medical
Association. to discuss the feminine
reducing mania which is sweeping the
n