EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. Not legal or medical advice. Not affiliated with the VA.
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Binge Eating Disorder
✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.130 (Mental disorders) · reviewed 2026-05-15 · ClaimRecon Editorial Team
Binge Eating Disorder is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 9521 of 38 CFR § 4.130, DC 9521 across 4 severity tiers (0% / 10% / 30% / 50%). Service connection requires (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or exposure, and (3) a medical nexus opinion linking the two under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303.
OVERVIEW
Recurrent episodes of eating significantly more food in a short period than most people would eat under similar circumstances, accompanied by a sense of lack of control, without regular compensatory purging behaviors. Episodes cause marked distress.
RATING CRITERIA (4 LEVELS)
0%
Diagnosed binge eating disorder but symptoms not severe enough to interfere with occupational or social functioning.
10%
Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient binge eating episodes controlled by treatment.
30%
Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency due to binge eating episodes and associated shame, depression, or medical complications.
50%
Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to frequent binge episodes, significant weight-related health problems, and social withdrawal.
KEY EVIDENCE TO GATHER
-Service treatment records showing injury or complaints
-Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT)
-Range of motion measurements
-Flare-up documentation per Sharp v. Shulkin
-Buddy statements describing limitations
-Prescription history
-Physical therapy records
-Employment impact documentation
C&P EXAM TIPS (6)
1.Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation.
2.Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.
3.Tell the examiner about flare-ups: frequency, duration, estimated ROM loss. Sharp v. Shulkin (2017) requires estimates.
4.Request active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing ROM testing per Correia v. McDonald (2016).
5.If you use assistive devices (brace, cane), bring them.
6.Describe daily activity impact: work, sleep, household tasks.
SOURCES & EDITORIAL
Rating criteria text quoted verbatim from 38 C.F.R. § 4.130 (Mental disorders). Source verified 2026-05-15 by ClaimRecon Editorial Team during a regulation-text comparison against the Cornell Law CFR mirror; eCFR.gov is the authoritative government source.
EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
CLAIM RECON 2026