The beginning of the year presents an opportunity for people to rethink their values and establish a healthier routine. Brits have been welcome to reassess their drinking habits for over a decade now thanks to Dry January.

The month-long sobriety challenge takes commitment and perseverance, but can deliver a host of benefits including weight loss and saving money. But which cities in Scotland are most interested in the 31-day test?

A new study carried out by search marketing agency Didgeheads has revealed the Scots spots most actively seeking information about the challenge – and the results may be surprising depending on where you are from.

“It can seem difficult to give up alcohol at first, especially during the winter months, when drinking can also help to warm up the evenings outside,” said Jessica Redman, director of Didgeheads.

“After a while, when you start noticing the benefits, such as having better sleep and an improved overall mood, besides extra pocket change, you will thank yourself for giving it a chance.

A calendar that reads 'Dry January'
Over half of Brits are likely to give up on Dry January by the second week (Image: Laurence Soulez/Getty Images)

“Even if you do go back to drinking once January ends, this month of abstinence can be an encouragement for you to reduce your alcohol intake, going from three pints a night to just one.”

According to the study, Dunfermline folks are most interested in ditching the booze for a month. Totalling 190 searches and a population of 50,380 people, this means one in every 265 residents have researched the topic online.

Hamilton ranks second, with one in 302 residents looking up the initiative, which has been growing in popularity since its introduction in 2013. A record number of people are expected to take part this year.

In third place comes Cumbernauld. One in every 303 Cumbernauld citizens tried to find out more about Dry January – signalling that people in this part of Scotland were very sober curious.

Interestingly, the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, and the country’s biggest city, Glasgow, ranked relatively low. One in every 778 Edinburgh people looked up drinking less alcohol, while one in 813 weegies researched teetotalism.

Scottish cities most interested in Dry January:

Rank

City

Average searches per 100,000 people

Total monthly searches

Proportion

1.

Dunfermline

377

190

1 in 265 residents

2.

Hamilton

330

180

1 in 302 residents

3.

Cumbernauld

329

170

1 in 303 residents

4.

Livingston

299

170

1 in 334 residents

5.

East Kilbride

227

170

1 in 439 residents

6.

Paisley

207

160

1 in 482 residents

7.

Edinburgh

128

650

1 in 779 residents

8.

Glasgow

123

770

1 in 813 residents

9.

Aberdeen

120

240

1 in 827 residents

10.

Dundee

114

170

1 in 871 residents

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