Study: Lancashire women more likely to have the willpower for Dry January than men

We all need a little help from our friends from time to time, and with Dry January gradually coming to a end (mercifully for some looking forward to a February shin-dig), a new study has revealed that women are more likely than men to make it to the finish line without a gin-soaked blemish on their record.

Three million people have taken part in Dry January.

The research, conducted by Eisberg, shows that while 62% of women who embark on the Dry January challenge manage to make it successfully to the year's second month sans alcohol, just 52% of men who attempt the same feat achieve success of their own.

Growing in popularity every year - more than three million people are expected to have done Dry January in 2019 - the challenge also lends itself favourably to those who have a squad of dedicated friends to help them through those final few days, with one in 10 women crediting their mates with making that crucial difference at the death, while just 5% of men say their pals helped them.

Regardless of how they fare this year, though, more than half of the challenge's Lancashire participants say they're up for giving it ago again in the future, with the most popular reason cited being the sheer test of willpower after an indulgent Christmas period.

“With sponsored periods of abstinence now firmly in the mainstream, people are using different methods to succeed," said Andrew Turner, director of wine at Halewood Wines & Spirits. "Willpower and friends are definitely important, but so is having the right alternatives."

For most people, stopping going out at Dry January just isn't a thing, but happily two thirds of party hosts say that they now check if guests are doing the challenge so they can stock up accordingly, with 70% saying they create bespoke, non-alcoholic cocktails for their soiree. Culinary abstinence is no longer a niche thing either, with the survey also revealing that regardless of the time of year, half of hosts ask about vegetarian or vegan dietary requirements and 36% check about gluten intolerance.