Melbourne, April 27 (IANS): A smartphone app has been designed to help people reduce their dependence on alcohol.

The app diagnoses your drinking habits and measures how healthy, risky or dangerous they may be.

It then offers a range of challenges to complete instead of drinking such as sober karaoke, drink-free dating and being the designated driver on nights out, Herald Sun reported.

Chris Raine of the Australia-based not-for-profit movement Hello Sunday Morning said the new app pushed education into the tech space and empowered people to seek simple, fast advice at the touch of their smartphone.

"It's really exciting. There is a big need for it in Australia and around the world to help people change their drinking habits," Raine was quoted as saying.

"It's an easy way to help people," he added.

The app, powered by Vodafone and funded by the Abbott government, also allows users to see how many other people in their pub, club or local area are going booze-free and completing the same challenges.

Australasian College for Emergency Medicine chair Diana Egerton-Warburton predicted the app would be a success because it helped build awareness of people's own habits.

Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash said the app would appeal to tech-savvy Australians, who could use their phone to monitor their health.