‘In the US, the number of people who take part in abstaining for Lent has also tumbled in recent years. Just 24% of Americans now give up something for Lent, a marked change from as recently as the 1970s, when it was widely observed in many parts of the US.

 

‘Here in the UK, of those people who still give up something for Lent, 50% say they are temporarily giving up chocolate and sweets, 17% are stopping pub visits and alcohol and 10% are giving up fatty foods. The decline in the popularity of Lent has therefore given rise to fears that the long-term health of UK adults may suffer as a result.

 

‘However, while Lent is still significant for Christians, it has always been a flawed idea to use the 40-day period primarily as a means to cut out fatty foods, chocolate, alcohol or coffee to improve health. There are better ways to control our consumption of calories, caffeine and alcohol in the longer term.

 

‘The slump in the number of people marking Lent is a significant change in social behaviour but it doesn’t necessarily imply there will be long-term health problems as a result. Temporarily giving up treats such as chocolate, cakes, coffee and wine for 40 days is not a viable answer to wider concerns we may have about our over-consumption of fatty foods, caffeine or alcohol. Indeed, the fact that we overcame their temptations for 40 days may give us a false sense we are in control of our cravings, particularly in the case of alcohol.

 

‘The real issue is that it takes two months to successfully fix a new routine in place and completely abstaining from temptations such as cakes and wine for a shorter period of time can lead to a period of over-indulgence at the end of Lent, which is entirely counterproductive.

 

‘A study published in the “British Journal of Health Psychology” found that it took “a median of 59 days for participants who successfully formed habits to reach peak automaticity”. In other words, whether it’s a new exercise plan or a strategy to reduce our drinking, it takes 59 days for a particular behaviour to become routine.

 

‘There are better ways to reset our relationship with drinking than giving it up entirely for Lent and then over-indulging at Easter to celebrate. Long-term strategies are essential for effective management. Individuals who have difficulty in moderating their alcohol intake may benefit from evidence-based approaches such as the Sinclair Method (TSM), which utilises prescribed medication in conjunction with structured online coaching and counselling. This established treatment demonstrates an 80% success rate in supporting individuals to address problematic drinking.

 

'The treatment involves patients taking naltrexone orally one hour prior to alcohol consumption, diminishing the rewarding effects of alcohol and facilitating "pharmacological extinction" by retraining the brain’s reward pathways.

 

‘Sinclair Method UK Ltd offers tailored treatment programmes that include individual support from a private general practitioner and specialised coaching over a period of three to six months. Consultations are conducted via telephone or video call, and prescriptions for required medications are issued as appropriate. All services are delivered in compliance with strict privacy and confidentiality standards.

 

'Sinclair Method UK Ltd was founded with direct input from Dr Roy Eskapa, a colleague of Dr David Sinclair whose research led to this treatment.