Does dry January work? We ask the experts

Millions pledge to start the new year alcohol-free, but how much difference can a month off booze make to our health or drinking behaviour in the long term?

• Read more: 'I now sleep straight through until my alarm rings': your experiences of dry January

Millions of people pledge to ditch the booze every January, but experts are divided over whether going dry for a month is the answer to the UK's troubled relationship with alcohol.

According to recent figures, around four-fifths of adults drink in England, with 31% of all men and 16% of all women consuming more than the recommended limit of 14 units in a usual week. As well as increasing the risk of injuries, damage to unborn babies, heart disease, liver disease and stroke, alcohol is also known to increase the risk of a number of cancers, among other effects.