Population ageing and increasing prevalence of chronic disease have affected the capacity of the Australian workforce. This report complements previous work on chronic disease and participation in work (AIHW 2009) by describing the association between risk factors and both labour force participation and absenteeism for women. To facilitate comparison with the association found between chronic disease and labour force participation, the combined impact of risk factors (including inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption) and chronic disease status on women is also described.