Half of us will give up Dry January within two weeks, study finds

By Lucy Brimble via 72Point

More than half of Brits are likely to give up on ‘Dry January’ by the second week, new research reveals.

A study of 2,000 UK adults found 21 percent admit they won't last the whole month and three in 10 will be happy to stick it for just two weeks.

But it's not only the booze that defeats us in the New Year - abstinence from chocolate, smoking, cookies and social media also fall by the wayside.

Needing a drink at the end of the day, wanting to socialize and not wanting to miss out are among the reasons adults miss their indulgences.

And 23 percent will try so hard not to give in to what they want they'll leave the house completely, simply to get away from certain temptations.

A spokesperson for Volvic Touch of Fruit, which commissioned the study, said: "The survey shows how easy it is to fall off the wagon.

“We all look forward to enjoying those naughty little treats every now and again, and to give them up completely is quite a task.”

Finding something else to turn to after a bad day will be the biggest ‘Dry January’ struggle for a third of those polled.

And 31 percent will be pining after the taste while 29 percent will find it difficult to miss out during social occasions.

Almost a quarter (22 percent) can’t bear the thought of not drinking at a social event – whilst for 32 percent, this will be their biggest temptation.

Other enticements include a bad day in the office (28 percent), going out for food (27 percent) and the classic fear of missing out in general (26 percent).

But despite this, 43 percent are doing it to improve their health and 36 percent are keen to lose weight.

Other incentives include saving money (35 percent), while more than three in 10 are up for a challenge and want to prove they can give up the bottle.

Wine will be missed by 36 percent and will also be the biggest lure for 21 percent, according to the OnePoll study.

And for nearly a third, beer will be the hardest tipple to bid a temporary farewell to.

For the more exotic drinkers, a quarter will miss margarita and strawberry daiquiri's – while 23 percent will have the biggest cravings for mojitos, piña coladas and sex on the beach.

The Volvic Touch of Fruit spokesperson added: “It’s great to see so many of us keen to try out a New Year’s resolution.

“Nothing is ever quite like the ‘real deal’ but there are plenty of alternatives out there that can help us last as long as possible.

“We know the power of strength and nature, and we want to provide our consumers with great tips to be their strongest selves from the start of a new year.

“This is why we’ve teamed up with Scarlett Moffatt to create some tasty mocktail recipes to help all those taking part in the challenge of not drinking in January and stay motivated until the end of the month .”

TOP 15 HARDEST THINGS TO GIVE UP FOR NEW YEAR

1. Chocolate
2. Meat
3. Bread
4. Driving
5. Alcohol
6. Chips
7. Cake
8. Social media
9. Wine
10. Cookies
11. Smoking
12. Beer
13. Takeaways
14. Candy
15. Clothes shopping