“…This is important because central obesity is associated with increased susceptibility to chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes (De Pablos-Velasco et al, 2002;Carey et al 1997) and cardiovascular disease (Kannel et al 1991). Psychosocial factors, including stress, have been implicated as a risk factor for obesity and increased adiposity (Ishizaki et al, 2008;Lloyd et al, 1996;Sarkar and Mukhopadhyay, 2008), and the increased propensity toward obesity in women in our sample may thus be related to stress stemming from unequal status and domestic violence, as discussed above. Overall, women face increased risks for non-communicable diseases in Vanuatu as compared to men, information which can be translated into targeted intervention strategies for obesity in Vanuatu.…”