Alcohol-Free Month Drives Long-Term Behaviour Change and Sustained Health Benefits
New research from the University of Sussex shows that taking part in Dry January helps people take control of their alcohol consumption, have more energy, better skin and losing weight. They also report consuming less alcohol months later.
The research, led by Sussex psychologist Dr Richard de Visser, was conducted with over 800 people who took part in Dry January in 2018. The results show that Dry January participants are still consuming less alcohol in August – half a year later.
Dr de Visser’s findings come from three self-completed online surveys: 2,821 on registering for Dry January; 1,715 in the first week of February; and 816 participants in August.
According to the study, people reported that:
- Alcohol consumption days fell on average from 4.3 to 3.3 per week,
- Units consumed per alcohol consumptions day dropped on average from 8.6 to 7.1, and
- Frequency of being inebriated dropped from 3.4 per month to 2.1 per month on average.
Saving money, losing weight, sleeping better
Dr de Visser, Reader in Psychology at the University of Sussex, said:
The simple act of taking a month off alcohol helps people drink less [alcohol] in the long term: by August people are reporting one extra dry day per week. There are also considerable immediate benefits: nine in ten people save money, seven in ten sleep better and three in five lose weight.
Interestingly, these changes in alcohol consumption have also been seen in the participants who didn’t manage to stay alcohol-free for the whole month – although they are a bit smaller. This shows that there are real benefits to just trying to complete Dry January.”
Dr Richard de Visser, Reader in Psychology, University of Sussex
The University of Sussex research showed that:
- 93% of participants had a sense of achievement,
- 88% saved money,
- 82% think more deeply about the role alcohol plays in their lives,
- 80% feel more in control of their alcohol use,
- 76% learned more about when and why they consume alcohol,
- 71% realised they don’t need alcohol to enjoy themselves,
- 70% had generally improved health,
- 71% slept better,
- 67% had more energy,
- 58% lost weight,
- 57% had better concentration, and
- 54% had better skin.
Executive Summary
The popularity of Dry January is growing: each year tens of thousands of people register via the website or mobile phone application, and over four million people attempt to have a Dry January without registering or signing-up.
Over the years, Alcohol Change UK (and formerly Alcohol Concern) has sought to increase the effectiveness of the campaign in delivering long-term behavior change through a range of wraparound interventions, delivered via the website, email, app, and social media.
The aim of the research reported in this study was to determine which elements of support are valued and effective, and how various aspects of support may be enhanced.
The research involved surveys and interviews. Self-completed online questionnaires were completed by 2,821 participants at the time of registering for Dry January, 1,715 participants at the end of Dry January, and 816 participants 6 months after the end of Dry January.
In addition, semi-structured individual telephone interviews lasting 20-70 minutes were conducted with 19 people purposively sampled from survey participants.
Key Findings
Why do participants choose to do Dry January?
The survey revealed a range of motives in the diverse sample, but the most important were health reasons, and to take on the challenge. Fundraising was not an important motive.
Do participants value being ‘part of something bigger’?
In the survey, being part of something bigger was less important than other elements of taking part in Dry January, and it was not a strong influence on staying dry. However, among interviewees, there was much discussion of the importance of feeling part of something bigger.
Do socioeconomic factors influence participation in, and successful completion of, Dry January?
Dry January participants appear to be of higher socio-economic status and contain a greater proportion of white people than the general population.
Socioeconomic factors were not significant predictors of successful completion of Dry January.
Does participation change self-efficacy for managing alcohol consumption?
Alcohol consumption-refusal self-efficacy increased significantly among Dry January participants.
Does participation change alcohol consumption attitudes and behaviours?
There was a significant weakening of alcohol consumption motives, and significant reductions in alcohol use at 6-month follow-up.
Does participation change wellbeing?
Participants reported improvements in their general health, sleep quality, concentration, energy levels, and skin. Many also reported losing weight.
How do participants experience the fundraising message?
Most participants did not give great importance to fundraising. However, for the minority of participants who did engage in fundraising it played a significant role in completing the challenge successfully.
Do participants value the support they receive during the month?
Participants valued information demonstrating the benefits of taking part in Dry January, stories from other participants, and tips for how to resist cravings or temptation. The website and app gained the most positive ratings.
How would participants suggest improving the support they receive?
Participants gave a range of suggestions for how to improve the support that is provided. There was a clear and unsurprising desire for customisation of the support provided.