Metabolic Syndrome — 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 Metabolic Syndrome
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960E-2 (Endocrine Diseases (Other Than Thyroid, Parathyroid or Diabetes Mellitus)) — 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 Metabolic Syndrome — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Metabolic Syndrome, 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 Endocrine
General rating schedule for endocrineconditions. Your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Manageable with diet only
Requires insulin or oral hypoglycemic agent, restricted diet
Requires insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities
Requires insulin, restricted diet, regulation of activities, with episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring 1-2 hospitalizations/year
Requires more than one daily insulin injection, restricted diet, regulation of activities, with episodes requiring 3+ hospitalizations/year or weekly visits to diabetic care provider
Will adding Metabolic Syndrome 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 Metabolic Syndrome 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.
Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental, 2015 · nexus to PTSD · PMID 25982700
Finding: Meta-analysis of 9 studies (9,673 adults with PTSD vs 6,852 controls) found pooled metabolic syndrome prevalence of 38.7% (95% CI 32.1-45.6%), with an almost doubled risk versus matched general-population controls (RR 1.82, 95% CI 1.72-1.92, p<0.001). Prevalence was consistently high across populations including war veterans.
Why it helps: Supports an association between PTSD and metabolic syndrome, helpful framing for a secondary-service-connection theory when PTSD is already service-connected.
Clinical and Investigative Medicine, 2016 · nexus to obstructive sleep apnea · PMID 27805899
Finding: Meta-analysis of 10 studies (2,053 patients) found patients with obstructive sleep apnea had significantly higher systolic blood pressure (pooled SMD 0.56, 95% CI 0.40-0.71) and adverse metabolic-syndrome parameters compared with those without OSA.
Why it helps: Supports an association between obstructive sleep apnea and metabolic syndrome, relevant when sleep apnea is service-connected and metabolic syndrome is claimed secondary to it.
Diabetes Care, 2012 · nexus to depression · PMID 22517938
Finding: Pooling 29 cross-sectional studies (n=155,333) and 11 cohort studies, depression and metabolic syndrome were bidirectionally associated: depression predicted incident metabolic syndrome (adjusted OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.20-1.91) and metabolic syndrome predicted incident depression (adjusted OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.19-1.87).
Why it helps: Supports a two-way association between depression and metabolic syndrome, useful for a secondary nexus when a depressive disorder is service-connected.
World Psychiatry, 2015 · nexus to psychiatric conditions and psychotropic/antipsychotic medications · PMID 26407790
Finding: Across 198 studies (n=52,678), pooled metabolic syndrome prevalence in people with severe mental illness was 32.6%, a significantly increased risk versus matched controls (RR 1.58, 95% CI 1.35-1.86, p<0.001). Patients on every individual antipsychotic had significantly higher metabolic syndrome risk than antipsychotic-naive patients, with the highest risk for clozapine and olanzapine.
Why it helps: Supports an association between service-connected psychiatric conditions and their prescribed medications and metabolic syndrome, helpful for a medication-induced or condition-induced secondary theory.
Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2010 · nexus to cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes (conditions claimed secondary to metabolic syndrome) · PMID 20863953
Finding: Meta-analysis of 87 studies (951,083 patients) found metabolic syndrome associated with roughly doubled cardiovascular outcomes: cardiovascular disease RR 2.35 (95% CI 2.02-2.73), CVD mortality RR 2.40, myocardial infarction RR 1.99, stroke RR 2.27, and 1.58-fold all-cause mortality. Risk persisted in patients without diabetes.
Why it helps: Supports metabolic syndrome as a driver of downstream cardiovascular disease and stroke, useful when those conditions are claimed secondary to a metabolic syndrome diagnosis.
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 Metabolic Syndrome
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Metabolic Syndrome. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Metabolic Syndrome as a Secondary Condition
Metabolic Syndrome is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Metabolic Syndromeclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Metabolic Syndrome should also be looking at:
Quick calculator
Estimate your combined rating →
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Health care
Estimate your VA Priority Group →
Priority Group 1-8 determines what care you get and what it costs. Service-connected = lower copays, full access.
Where you live
Compare 50 state veteran benefits →
State property tax exemptions for SC vets vary 10x. Some states fully exempt 100%-rated vets, others give nothing.
Home buying
VA home loan + funding fee waiver →
ANY service-connected rating waives the funding fee. On a $400K loan that's ~$8,600 saved.
Draft your Metabolic Syndrome 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 Metabolic Syndrome VA Claim
Use our free Claims Builder to organize your Metabolic Syndrome 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 Metabolic Syndrome.
Metabolic Syndrome 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.