Wen Y, et al. - In a nationally representative sample of mid-aged and elderly Chinese adults, researchers analyzed the incidence of depressive symptoms and determine whether baseline risk factors conferred a risk for incident depressive symptoms. At baseline, a total of 11,533 candidates free of depressive symptoms were identified, and 10,288 were re-examined in either the first and/or the second follow-up surveys. In a 4-year follow-up, the incidence of depressive symptoms was as high as 22.3%. In rural areas (25.7%) and in women (27.9%), the incidence was much higher. In addition, participants with 1 hour longer night-time sleep had a 10% lower risk of developing symptoms of depression. Individuals who perceived their health status as excellent had a 62% lower risk of developing depressive symptoms vs those who perceived their health status as poor. In addition, the risk of depressive symptoms increased with baseline diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic digestive disorders and arthritis. However, the baseline BMI in this population has not been linked to the subsequent depressive symptoms. The importance of developing an appropriate screening test was highlighted to identify depressive symptoms for those who are vulnerable and to ensure early intervention for depressive symptoms is possible for these people.