John Yang:

Weekends are generally a time for being with friends and perhaps enjoying an adult beverage. But a growing number of people are going without alcohol this month. Taking a break from the indulgences of the holiday season, they're participating in what's known as Dry January. Dr. Rotonya Carr is Head of Gastroenterology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Carr, why is this idea about dry January so popular?

Dr. Rotonya Carr, Chief of Gastroenterology, University of Washington: Well, first, thank you for having me on and thank you for sharing this story, because one of the goals of this month is really to reduce the stigma around those who over consume alcohol. But it's so popular. Actually, my city, I think, gets to take of credit for that. This concept of dry January has been around since the 1940s, and the Seattle Reporter wrote about it in the Seattle Times, and it seems like after that the concept really took off. And now internationally, various countries are really getting the word out about dry January and encouraging their citizens to participate. And I think it's because we have linked it to a bit of a social opportunity for the month of January. So, coming off of the holidays, everyone can really get into doing something together in the name of their own health.

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