Daily Times

New analysis has identified the months of the year when most people show interest in stopping smoking, with January ranking first.

The study conducted by GoSmokeFree analysed Google searches for quitting-related terms made across UK regions over the last three years and scaled this against local populations to calculate the searches made per 100k residents.

Terms analysed include ‘give up smoking’,’ smoking cessation aids’ and ‘nicotine gum’. Searches for fitness-related terms like ‘gyms near me’ and ‘exercise routines’ were also compared to see if people prioritise fitness alongside their lung health.

The most popular time of year is January for both fitness and quitting smoking, with an average of 893,110 and 440,670 Google searches made related to each goal.

This spike can be attributed to New Year’s resolutions, where individuals set goals for the upcoming year that often focus on improving their health. The start of a new year symbolises a fresh start and motivates many to stop smoking.

March is the second most popular time to kick the habit, with 438,830 average monthly searches for quitting smoking made across the UK. However, fitness goes on the backburner with March sitting in 11th place with 643,030 searches.

As the weather begins to warm up, March could see an increase in quitting attempts – albeit not as high as January – as the beginning of spring might symbolise renewal and motivate some to restart their New Year’s resolutions.

Like March, May marks the onset of spring; a time when people engage in outdoor activities and may want to quit smoking to improve their health and fitness levels.

The improved weather conditions can also enhance mood and increase motivation to pursue lifestyle changes. This is evident in the data, as May took third place as the best month to quit with 410,920 average Google searches per month.

May took fifth place for health and well-being related queries with 819,680 overall, meaning it’s on people’s minds, but not as prevalent as at the start of the year.

With 406,510 average searches for stopping smoking-related terms, October’s increase in interest that places it in fourth may be due campaigns like Stoptober actively encouraging smokers to quit.

The month also lands in sixth place for interest in health and fitness activities, which could also be attributed to kick starting a healthy routine while partaking in Stoptober.

With November and December leading into and during the holiday season, they likely see reduced quitting attempts due to social gatherings, holiday stress and a general postponement of major lifestyle changes until after the festive season.

November takes fifth place with 402,570 quitting-related searches and December ranks last for smoking cessation-related queries with 355,190.

As well as revealing when people are most likely to stop smoking, the data also identifies which cities are most likely to do so at any given time.

Stevenage came out on top for wanting to stop smoking with 1,764 average monthly Google searches for related terms per 100k. This equates to 1.97 percent of the total population who want to give up.

In second place, Oxford is home to 0.89 percent of the total population looking to kick the habit with 1,445 quitting-related searches but ranks first for health and fitness queries with 1.65 percent of Oxonians planning to make positive lifestyle changes.

Carlisle ranked third with 1,011 average monthly Google searches for smoking cessation but failed to make the top ten cities interested in taking up any new fitness-related activities. In fourth place, Derby reports 967 searches for quitting smoking per 100k residents, but takes second place for going on a health kick with 1,967 searches per 100k.

Not far behind is Woking with 900 average monthly searches related to stopping smoking but ranks third for health and fitness related queries with 1,831 per 100k.

The place with the least interest in giving up smoking this year is Swansea with just 222 quitting-related searches – and the location also isn’t included on the leader board for lifestyle changes.

Wrexham also doesn’t rank for smoking cessation but is in tenth place for health and fitness queries with 412 monthly searches per 100k, suggesting interest in making some positive progress.

A spokesperson for GoSmokeFree commented on the findings, “In light of recent analysis revealing seasonal trends in smoking cessation attempts, it’s paramount to recognise the significant impact of public health initiatives like Stoptober and New Year’s resolutions in motivating individuals towards healthier lifestyles.

“January, March and May emerge as pivotal moments when people are most inclined to quit smoking, underscoring the influence of societal and seasonal factors on health-related behaviours.

“This data not only highlights the collective desire for improved well-being but also underscores the importance of targeted support and resources during these peak times. By understanding and leveraging these trends, we can enhance the effectiveness of smoking cessation and campaigns to build a healthier society.”