The magazine says she was altered no more than any other cover star

The editor of a UK men's magazine has admitted its cover photograph of actress Kate Winslet was airbrushed to improve the image.

GQ editor Dylan Jones said the 27-year-old Titanic actress had approved the photographs, but that they had been "digitally altered".

Winslet's agent told BBC News Online the star approved the original photos - but was not consulted about the digital changes.

"She has done many magazine covers and knows that once you've done the photos it is out of her control," said her agent.

Winslet starred in Iris last year

"Once you shoot them, the magazine has them and can do what they will with them, and the actor is really not part of that approval process."

Winslet - famous for defending the appearance of fuller-figured women - has hit headlines in recent years not only for her acting, but also for the fluctuations in her weight.

In an interview accompanying the photoshoot, however, she questioned the attitudes of women who equate sex appeal with being thin.

She said: "What is sexy? All I know from the men I've ever spoken to is that they like girls to have an arse on them.

Director Sam Mendes is her current boyfriend

"So why is it that women think in order to be adored they have to be thin? I just don't understand that way of thinking."

She added: "I'm certainly not a sex symbol who doesn't eat."

Mr Jones said her appearance had been altered "no more than any other cover star".

"These days you only get two kinds of pictures of celebrities - paparazzi pictures or pictures like these which have been highly styled, buffed, trimmed and altered to make the subject look as good as is humanly possible," he said.

"We do that for everyone, whether they are a size six or a size 12. It hasn't a lot to do with body size. Practically every photo you see in a magazine will have been digitally altered in this way."

Quills: One of her many costume drama roles

He said Winslet had not been drastically slimmed down in the photos.

"I interviewed Kate six weeks ago and she was thinner than I had ever seen her, petite and very sexy," he said.

"These pictures are not a million miles away from what she really looks like."

Winslet, soon to be seen in new film The Life Of David Gale alongside Kevin Spacey, was picked on at school for being overweight and was nicknamed Blubber.

She said: "I'm completely physically comfortable with who I am and I have no particular issues any more and I don't feel I have to run around waving my flag about the female body any more."

Weight loss

Winslet lost four-and-a-half stone following the birth of her daughter Mia in 2000.

She attributed the weight loss to a facial analysis diet which prescribes an eating plan based on complexion and facial features.

The following year she split from husband Jim Threapleton and later became involved with director Sam Mendes.