Dry January: Is it really worth it?
One in four people are taking part in this years Dry January challenge – in this video Doctor Amir Khan talks us through the health benefits.
The beginning of a new year marks the start of sobriety for millions of people worldwide. Launched in 2013, British charity Alcohol Change UK created Dry January to encourage people to abstain from alcohol for 31 days in a bid to improve their health.
Since its creation the campaign has massively increased in popularity, with the latest research from Alcohol Change UK showing more than one in four people (29%) are taking part this year.
This comes after 23% of Brits who drink said they drank more alcohol in 2024 than 2023, with men having consumed more alcohol than women. As a result, 32% of men are planning to start this year alcohol free.
‘More of us are connecting the dots between the alcohol we drink and the impact it has on our health, wellbeing and quality of life,’ said Dr Richard Piper, CEO at Alcohol Change UK. ‘From poor sleep, headaches and hangovers, to spending more money than we’d like or struggling at work or in our relationships, our research provides a strong picture of reasons why so many of us are ready to rethink our relationship with alcohol.’
On the subject of health, best-selling author and Bradford-based GP, Dr Amir Khan, appeared on a recent interview on Lorraine where he revealed if ditching the booze for a month is actually worth it.
‘Fifteen and a half million Brits are aiming at to do Dry January and I’m all for it, I’m a big supporter,’ Dr Khan explained excitedly. ‘That’s because there is no safe level of alcohol to drink per week. There are limits if you choose to drink alcohol and that’s 14 units per week, but they’re limits not targets as my driving instructor used to tell me.’
‘But there are lots of advantages to giving up alcohol, even if it is just for a month,’ Dr Khan continued.
‘It can lower your blood pressure, improve your weight, it can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, and it can reduce your risk of certain cancers as well as improve your mental health in some cases.’
To give context, separate data from Cancer Research UK outlines that alcohol can cause seven different types of cancer including breast, bowel, mouth, three different types of throat cancer and liver. What’s more, the research outlines around one in ten breast cancer cases are caused by drinking alcohol, which equates to 4,400 cases a year.
Although Dry January only lasts for a month, Dr Khan remarks that it can encourage people to adopt healthier drinking habits for the rest of the year ahead.
‘I think Dry January can help make people more mindful about their drinking habits,’ Dr Khan claimed. ‘But if you do go back to drinking in February, then make sure you’re drinking within those safe limits and make sure you have alcohol free days interspersed throughout the week.’
