Eating Disorder

DC 9520Mental Disorders38 CFR 4.130, DC 9520 — General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders

A mental health condition involving unhealthy eating patterns such as severely restricting food, binge eating, or purging. The VA rates eating disorders under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders, based on how the condition affects your work and social functioning.

Rating Levels

Your condition causes total impairment in your ability to work and function socially. You may be a persistent danger to yourself or others, disoriented, or have severe memory loss.

What the VA looks for

Gross impairment in thought processes or communication
Persistent delusions or hallucinations
Grossly inappropriate behavior
Persistent danger of hurting self or others
Inability to perform activities of daily living
Disorientation to time or place
Memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not documenting the full range of symptoms including physical health consequences (weight changes, dental damage, nutritional deficiencies).
⚠Not connecting the eating disorder to military service — boot camp culture, deployment stress, and MST are recognized risk factors.
⚠Eating disorders are rated under the same General Rating Formula as other mental health conditions — the functional impact on work and relationships drives the rating.
⚠Not filing for secondary physical conditions caused by the eating disorder (GERD, dental damage, malnutrition).

Related DBQ Forms

DBQ Eating Disorders

View evidence checklist →See secondary conditions →

Condition Rating Guides

Understand what the VA looks for at each rating level — loading conditions…

Eating Disorder

Rating Levels

Your condition causes total impairment in your ability to work and function socially. You may be a persistent danger to yourself or others, disoriented, or have severe memory loss.

What the VA looks for

Gross impairment in thought processes or communication
Persistent delusions or hallucinations
Grossly inappropriate behavior
Persistent danger of hurting self or others
Inability to perform activities of daily living
Disorientation to time or place
Memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not documenting the full range of symptoms including physical health consequences (weight changes, dental damage, nutritional deficiencies).

⚠Not connecting the eating disorder to military service — boot camp culture, deployment stress, and MST are recognized risk factors.

⚠Eating disorders are rated under the same General Rating Formula as other mental health conditions — the functional impact on work and relationships drives the rating.

⚠Not filing for secondary physical conditions caused by the eating disorder (GERD, dental damage, malnutrition).