To hear the media tell it, everyone you know and everyone you don't is on a diet, but a new study has found that Americans on diets are down by 35 percent of women and 26 percent of men from 1990.

According to a United Press International article, the NPD Group's Dieting Monitor survey found only 26 percent of females and 19 percent of men said they were on a diet in the 12 months up to February 2006, the period surveyed. That's even though NPD reports 60 percent of adults in the United States insist they'd like to lose 20 pounds.

Among those who were following a weight-loss program, the most popular method was a self-invented diet. Next was a doctor-prescribed diet. Weight Watchers came in third.

And the most popular time to start a diet? March.

Apparently, not many folks want to attempt to lose weight in January, despite the propensity for resolutions. Most people need to hear the siren call of spring and swimsuit season to propel them into weight-loss mode.

Check out the full article and get a dandy little recipe for Thai Chicken Salad.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com