Vital Capacity Calculator
HealthEstimate predicted vital capacity (VC) from height, age, and sex using a simplified reference regression formula. An educational estimate, not a spirometry test.
Predicted Vital Capacity
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What is a Predicted Vital Capacity?
The Vital Capacity Calculator estimates predicted vital capacity (VC) from height, age, and sex, using simplified reference regression equations in the style of commonly cited spirometry prediction formulas. It is an educational estimate, not an actual spirometry measurement.
For related pulmonary reference tools, see the Lung Capacity Calculator and FEV1/FVC Ratio Calculator.
How to use this Predicted Vital Capacity calculator
- Enter your height in centimetres.
- Enter your age.
- Select your sex.
- Read the Predicted Vital Capacity instantly.
- Compare against actual spirometry testing results if you have them, understanding this calculator provides only a general reference estimate.
Formula & Methodology
Male: Predicted VC (L) = (27.63 − 0.112 × Age) × Height (cm) ÷ 1000 Female: Predicted VC (L) = (21.78 − 0.101 × Age) × Height (cm) ÷ 1000 Worked example — a 35-year-old man, 175 cm tall: Predicted VC = (27.63 − 0.112 × 35) × 175 ÷ 1000 = (27.63 − 3.92) × 175 ÷ 1000 = 23.71 × 175 ÷ 1000 = 4.15 L
Frequently Asked Questions
Vital capacity is the maximum amount of air a person can exhale after taking the deepest possible breath in, representing the total actively exchangeable lung volume, distinct from the residual volume of air that always remains in the lungs.
This calculator uses a simplified reference regression formula based on height, age, and sex, reflecting general population relationships between these factors and expected vital capacity.
Respiratory muscle strength and lung elasticity generally decline gradually with age in adults, which is why most predicted vital capacity reference formulas include a downward adjustment as age increases.
No — actual vital capacity is measured directly during a spirometry test. This calculator provides a predicted reference value based on height, age, and sex only, useful for general education, not diagnosis.
Vital capacity is the air that can be actively breathed in and out, while total lung capacity also includes residual volume — the air that always remains in the lungs even after a maximal exhale. See the [Lung Capacity Calculator](/lung-capacity-calculator/) for total lung capacity specifically.
On average, differences in chest cavity size and other physiological factors between sexes contribute to generally larger average vital capacity in men compared to women at a similar height and age, which is why separate reference formulas are commonly used.
This calculator uses simplified versions of commonly cited reference regression equations (in the style of the Baldwin equations) that estimate vital capacity from height and age, with separate coefficients for men and women.
No — this is an educational reference calculator only. Diagnosing any lung condition requires actual spirometry testing interpreted by a qualified healthcare professional, not a predicted formula-based estimate.
This calculator expresses vital capacity in litres (L), the standard unit used in pulmonary function reporting.
The [FEV1/FVC Ratio Calculator](/fev1-fvc-ratio-calculator/) works with your own actual measured spirometry values, while this calculator predicts an expected reference vital capacity from height, age, and sex alone, without requiring any test results.
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