EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. Not legal or medical advice. Not affiliated with the VA.
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Obesity (Endocrine-Related)
✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.119 (Endocrine system) · reviewed 2026-05-15 · ClaimRecon Editorial Team
Obesity (Endocrine-Related) is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 7999 of 38 CFR § 4.119 across 1 severity tier (0%). 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. This condition is frequently rated as secondary to Sleep Apnea or Diabetes Type II under 38 C.F.R. § 3.310.
OVERVIEW
Excessive body weight with a BMI of 30 or higher. The VA does not currently rate obesity as a standalone disability, but it can be an intermediate step in a secondary service connection chain (e.g., knee condition causes obesity which worsens diabetes).
RATING CRITERIA (1 LEVELS)
0%
Obesity is not a "disease or injury" for VA disability purposes (see VAOPGCPREC 1-2017 and Marcelino v. Shulkin, 29 Vet. App. 155 (2018)) and carries no schedular rating in its own right. When obesity is a manifestation of a service-connected endocrine condition (e.g., hypothyroidism DC 7903, Cushing's syndrome DC 7907, hypothalamic dysfunction), the underlying endocrine condition is the rated disability and any sequelae are evaluated under their applicable codes. Obesity may also be relevant to "intermediate step" theories of secondary service connection (Walsh v. Wilkie, 32 Vet. App. 300 (2020)) for downstream conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, knee osteoarthritis, or back pain.
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
SECONDARY CONDITIONS (10 MAPPED)
DC
Excess weight causes airway obstruction
DC
Insulin resistance from excess body fat
DC
Increased cardiovascular demand
DC
Excess weight accelerates joint wear
DC
Abdominal pressure increases reflux
DC
Fat accumulation in liver
DC
Social stigma and health burden
DC
Excess weight stresses foot arch
DC
Abdominal weight strains spine
DC
Increased pressure on leg veins
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. § 4.119 (Endocrine system). 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