This URL is for a page with details about Ideal Weight calculations.

http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

Its not a published scientific article, but it does describe the science and pseudo-science behind the history of making calculations to suggest someone's ideal weight.

I hope this is appropriate here, and I apologize if not. I'd be interested to here peoples comments about it.

Thanks, stevenha. I feel much better now. Strangely enough my new "ideal" weight is exactly the weight at which I felt and looked great. I do think the old charts are very unrealistic - as is Weight Watchers!