Jennifer Aniston named People magazine's most beautiful woman

Jennifer Aniston has been named People magazine's most beautiful woman. Photo / AP

Jennifer Aniston has been named People magazine's most beautiful woman of 2016, 12 years after she first won the honour.

Aniston, 47, said she was "very, very flattered" to be named again on Wednesday, telling the magazine she had a "sort of very excited, teenage-y kind of moment" when she heard the news.

Jennifer said she started paying attention to her looks and her body early in her career. Photo / AP

People also named the Friends star the most beautiful woman in 2004 when the TV comedy series was in its final season.

Recent winners of the honour include Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Lopez and Lupita Nyong'o.

Aniston, who last year married her second husband, actor Justin Theroux, said she started paying attention to her looks and her body early in her career after an agent told her she failed to get a part because she was "too chubby".

"I was like, 'What?!' But my diet was terrible," she said.

"Milk shakes and French fries with gravy. It was a good thing to start paying attention."

Aniston now works out at least six days a week but says she is not as strict as she once was when indulging in some of her favourite foods.

Aniston now works out at least six days a week. Photo / AP