Eating Disorders — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Eating Disorders
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960P-1 (Eating Disorders) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Eating Disorders — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Eating Disorders, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Eating Disorders
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.130, General Rating Formula for Eating Disorders (DC 9520 anorexia nervosa, DC 9521 bulimia nervosa). Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Binge eating followed by self-induced vomiting or other measures to prevent weight gain, or resistance to weight gain even when below expected minimum weight, with a diagnosis of an eating disorder but without incapacitating episodes.
Binge eating followed by self-induced vomiting or other measures to prevent weight gain, or resistance to weight gain even when below expected minimum weight, with a diagnosis of an eating disorder and incapacitating episodes of up to two weeks total duration per year.
Self-induced weight loss to less than 85 percent of expected minimum weight with incapacitating episodes of more than two but less than six weeks total duration per year.
Self-induced weight loss to less than 85 percent of expected minimum weight with incapacitating episodes of six or more weeks total duration per year.
Self-induced weight loss to less than 80 percent of expected minimum weight, with incapacitating episodes of at least six weeks total duration per year, and requiring hospitalization more than twice a year for parenteral nutrition or tube feeding.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Eating Disorders raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Eating Disorders claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Military Medicine, 2023 · PMID 35788384
Finding: PRISMA systematic review of 21 studies on active duty members and veterans found varying eating disorder prevalence by demographics, that trauma exposure is consistently associated with eating disorder development, and that those diagnosed had greater health care utilization.
Why it helps: A military/veteran-specific systematic review supports an association between military service and trauma exposure and eating disorder development in this population, useful as foundational evidence for a service-connection argument.
American Journal of Epidemiology, 2025 · PMID 39030723
Finding: In the longitudinal Millennium Cohort Study (up to 15 years; n=96,245 for BN and 113,733 for BED), military factors associated with increased risk included active-duty component, serving in the Army/Marine Corps/Navy, and combat deployment versus non-combat deployment, alongside lack of social support, life stressors, and screening positive for PTSD or problem drinking.
Why it helps: A large longitudinal military cohort supports an association between service-related factors such as combat deployment and the later development of bulimia and binge eating disorder, directly relevant to a service-connection claim.
Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2023 · PMID 35938917
Finding: Narrative review found a high burden of eating disorders and disordered eating in ROTC, active-duty, and veteran members, with bulimic- and binge-type behaviors most common; higher prevalence was seen in those exposed to trauma and military sexual assault and those with comorbidities like PTSD, and body composition and fitness testing were associated with higher risk.
Why it helps: Supports an association between unique military stressors (body composition standards, fitness testing, trauma) and eating disorders, helping connect the condition to service circumstances.
International Journal of Eating Disorders, 2021 · nexus to PTSD, depression · PMID 34338326
Finding: Among 254 treatment-seeking US veterans, 31% met probable criteria for bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, or purging disorder, and mean levels of psychopathology (PTSD, depression, shame) were significantly higher in veterans with a probable eating disorder than in those without.
Why it helps: Supports a high co-occurrence of eating disorders with service-connected mental health conditions such as PTSD and depression in veterans, useful for a secondary-service-connection argument.
American Journal of Epidemiology, 2025 · nexus to PTSD, anxiety, depression, problem drinking · PMID 39030718
Finding: Using longitudinal Millennium Cohort data on 179,694 service members and veterans, cross-lagged panel models showed consistent bidirectional associations between most mental health conditions (PTSD, anxiety, depression, problem drinking) and eating disorders, with mental health conditions more strongly predicting later binge eating disorder.
Why it helps: Supports a temporal, bidirectional association in which service-connected mental health conditions can precede and predict eating disorders, strengthening a secondary-nexus argument.
Psychological Trauma, 2018 · nexus to military sexual trauma · PMID 28493727
Finding: Among 407 women veterans using VA services, 66% reported military sexual trauma and 15% met eating disorder criteria; women reporting MST had roughly twice the odds of an eating disorder (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.03-3.98), while combat exposure was not independently associated.
Why it helps: Provides a quantified association (about double the odds) between military sexual trauma and eating disorders in women veterans, directly supporting a secondary link to a service-connected MST/PTSD basis.
Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2022 · nexus to military sexual trauma, PTSD · PMID 36042078
Finding: This VA overview reports that military sexual trauma's most common mental health impact is PTSD, which rarely occurs in isolation and may coincide with major depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance use disorders, and increased suicidality.
Why it helps: A VA-authored synthesis listing eating disorders among the recognized sequelae of military sexual trauma and PTSD, supporting a secondary-service-connection pathway.
Current Obesity Reports, 2020 · nexus to PTSD, trauma history, obesity · PMID 32361915
Finding: Review found eating disorder and overweight/obesity prevalence in veterans consistent with or possibly higher than the general population, with both sharing multiple risk factors including trauma history and mental health comorbidities such as PTSD.
Why it helps: Supports shared trauma- and PTSD-related mechanisms linking eating disorders with weight conditions in veterans, useful for framing eating disorders as related to service-connected mental health and metabolic conditions.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Eating Disorders
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Eating Disorders. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Eating Disorders as a Secondary Condition
Eating Disorders is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Eating Disordersclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Eating Disorders should also be looking at:
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Draft your Eating Disorders personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
Start Your Eating Disorders VA Claim
Use our free Claims Builder to organize your Eating Disorders evidence, track your claim status, and prepare for your C&P exam. No coaching fees — just tools.
Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Eating Disorders.
Eating Disorders Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
More free tools
Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.