TW
Target Weight (TW)
Target Weight is a figure the device calculates from its model of balanced body composition — the output of a calculation, not a personal goal and not medical advice.
Short answer
Target Weight is an orientation output of a manufacturer model, not your goal and not a health recommendation. Its main use is as the reference point from which the recommended fat and muscle adjustments are calculated — and that pair tells you more than the number itself.
What the value represents
Target Weight is the first of four numbers in the Weight Control section. The device gives it in kilograms and the other three values — weight, fat and muscle control — follow from it as differences against your current state.
What matters is where that number comes from. It is not a value you set, and not a recommendation from someone who knows you. It is the output of a formula that has only your height, age, sex and the results of the measurement just taken. It knows nothing of your medical history, medication, sport, pregnancy, recovery, or what happened to your body last year.
The manufacturer manual adds an important point that is often confused: Target Weight is not derived from height and ideal weight. It is derived from balanced body composition, which under the model corresponds to maintaining a healthy weight. Ideal weight is a separate reference quantity on the result sheet and is used elsewhere — as the 100 percent mark for the muscle and fat bars and in Obesity Degree.
In practice this means Target Weight can differ from what a simple height calculation would give. Two people of the same height can receive different target weights, because their current body composition differs.
- A weight in kilograms that the manufacturer model describes as a state with a balanced ratio of fat to fat free mass.
- The reference point from which the recommended adjustments to weight, fat and muscle in the same section are calculated.
- It does not represent a medically optimal weight for a particular person, because the device does not know the health context.
- It does not represent a goal set by you or your trainer. Your own goal in the portal is a different thing from this device value.
How the value is produced
- A calculated value. The device derives it from its model of fat and fat free mass control, that is from the results of the current measurement.
- The manufacturer manual explicitly states that Target Weight is not based on height and ideal weight, but on balanced body composition for maintaining a healthy weight.
- The manufacturer does not publish the equation, so the value cannot be independently recalculated or verified.
- Ideal weight, which Target Weight is often confused with, is a different quantity and is calculated as ideal BMI × height². The manual gives an ideal BMI of 22 for men and 21 for women in the Asian reference, and 22 for men and 21.5 for women in the Western one. For children and adolescents up to 18 years the ideal BMI changes with the state of growth.
- Target Weight is therefore a comparison against a reference model, not a measured quantity. In the whole section only current weight is directly measured.
How to read the current value
- Treat it as an orientation point of the calculation, not as a number to be reached. The manufacturer itself describes ideal and target values as population references rather than personal goals.
- The gap between your weight and Target Weight appears next to it as weight control. On its own Target Weight says nothing about whether your current state is fine.
- If Target Weight is close to your current weight, that does not mean your body composition is balanced. The same weight can arise from different ratios of muscle to fat — so always read fat and muscle control too.
- If Target Weight differs markedly from yours, look first at which component accounts for the gap. The Weight Control section splits it into a fat part and a muscle part.
- Target Weight is not a health threshold. The UK NICE guidance and other expert sources always assess weight in the context of fat distribution and other indicators, not from a single device number.
How to read change over time
- Target Weight changes between measurements, because it comes from current body composition. It is not a fixed marker waiting for you.
- When you gain muscle mass, Target Weight can rise. That is not a measurement error or a moving goalpost — the model is simply working from a changed starting state.
- When Target Weight jumps between two visits a short time apart, that is most often the effect of measurement conditions on the composition estimate rather than a real change.
- For following development, fat mass in kilograms and skeletal muscle mass are more useful than Target Weight itself. Both can be read directly and do not depend on the manufacturer model.
General principles: how to read change between measurements →
What to read it with
- Weight, fat and muscle control — the four values of the same section form one unit and are not read separately.
- Weight — without it the target value has no context.
- Body fat mass and skeletal muscle mass — show what the gap is made of.
- Obesity Degree — compares weight with ideal weight, that is against a different reference from Target Weight.
- InBody Score — according to the manual it follows from the values in the Weight Control section, so it moves along with Target Weight.
Common misunderstandings
- Target Weight is not a personal goal. It is the output of a manufacturer model from one measurement, not a plan created for you.
- Nor is it the same as ideal weight. Ideal weight is calculated from ideal BMI and height; Target Weight, according to the manual, is not.
- It is not a medically recommended weight. The device knows nothing of your history or any context beyond height, age, sex and the current measurement.
- Reaching Target Weight is not a mark of success. The same weight can be carried with very different body composition.
- The example values in the manual (a Target Weight of 73.7 kg, for instance) are illustrative data from a demonstration result sheet. They are not norms and cannot be used for comparison.
What can affect the result short term
- Everything that affects weight and the composition estimate: food and drink shortly before the measurement, hydration status, training, sauna.
- Time of day — water shifts towards the lower half of the body during the day.
- The menstrual cycle, during which fluid retention fluctuates.
- The accuracy of the entered height, age and sex, because the reference values derive from them.
- Clothing, jewellery and a full bladder, which change the measured weight.
What to do next
The explanation of the value is the same for everyone. Only the suggested step changes — pick whichever fits you.
- Do not read Target Weight on its own. Always add fat and muscle control — only those say what kind of change in composition is involved.
- Set your own goal from your own context, and preferably in terms of body composition rather than a single number on a scale.
- If the gap between your weight and Target Weight worries you, discuss it with someone who can also see your health and life context.
- For tracking progress use comparable measurements four to eight weeks apart, not the difference between two visits a few days apart.
What the value does not determine
- It is not a personal or medical recommendation and does not account for history, medication, pregnancy or sporting context.
- The manufacturer calculation is not published, so the value cannot be verified or reproduced.
- It builds on the body composition estimate and therefore carries its uncertainty, including sensitivity to hydration.
- It is not comparable with devices from other manufacturers or with ideal weight calculations from other sources.
On terminology
- The manufacturer uses the terms reference and recommended value rather than a normal weight. The ranges on the sheet are device references, not health norms.
- Target Weight and ideal weight are two different quantities derived in different ways.
When to discuss it with a professional
Do not use Target Weight as the basis for a drastic change in diet or training. If you are dealing with a substantial change in weight, pregnancy, an eating disorder or a chronic condition, the decision belongs with a qualified health professional rather than with a number from a measurement.
In more depth, with sourcesIn more depth: why target and ideal weight differ and what follows from itExpand the detailed explanation
Two different reference weights appear on an InBody result sheet, and confusing them is the most common source of misunderstanding. Ideal weight is calculated as ideal BMI × height² and serves as the 100 percent mark for the weight, muscle and fat bars and for Obesity Degree. The manual gives an ideal BMI of 22 for men and 21 for women in the Asian reference and 22 for men and 21.5 for women in the Western one, with the ideal BMI changing according to the state of growth for people under 18.
Target Weight in the Weight Control section is derived differently. The manual attaches an explicit note that it is not based on height and ideal weight but on balanced body composition for maintaining a healthy weight. The manufacturer publishes neither the equation nor the weighting of individual components, so the value cannot be independently recalculated and it cannot be verified how a particular change in fat or fat free mass would show in it.
The manufacturer terminology rules likewise work with reference value and recommended rather than with a norm. Ideal values are described as population references derived from height, not as individual goals. For a public text only one correct reading follows: Target Weight is a model reference point that the recommended adjustments relate to, and turning it into a personal goal is a decision for a person and their professional, not an output of the device.
Sources
- InBody 970 Result Sheet Interpretation (ENG_A_211104) — InBody Co., Ltd.
- InBody Brand & terminology guidelines — InBody USA
- Obesity: identification, assessment and management (CG189) — National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
On this page
Related values
Commonly confused with
Related articles
Where to find it
The Weight Control section below the Muscle-Fat Analysis.
- Reviewed by
- MojeInBody content team
- Date
An InBody measurement is not a diagnostic tool. Results do not determine health status and do not replace a medical examination.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Answers to what people ask most often about this value.
Do I have to try to reach Target Weight?
No. It is the output of a manufacturer model from one measurement, not a goal set for you. Your own goal should come from your context and ideally rest on body composition rather than a single number on a scale.
Why is my Target Weight slightly different every time?
Because it is calculated from your current body composition, which changes between measurements. How much the measurement conditions differed plays a part too — hydration, food and time of day affect the composition estimate and therefore the resulting calculation.
Is Target Weight the same as ideal weight?
It is not. Ideal weight is calculated as ideal BMI × height² and serves as the 100 percent mark for the bars on the result sheet. The manual explicitly states that Target Weight is not derived from height and ideal weight, but from balanced body composition.
My Target Weight came out higher than my current weight. Does that mean I should gain?
It means only that the model works with a higher weight at a more balanced composition — typically with more fat free mass. Look at the fat and muscle control values next to it: they show whether this is a suggestion to add muscle or something else. The decision is yours and your professional advisor.
Explanations make the most sense alongside your own trend.
The public guide is open to everyone. The client portal adds your own value, history and the context of a specific measurement.