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Astronaut Sunita Williams has addressed reports that raised concerns about her health amid her prolonged stay in space. A picture shared by NASA a few weeks back showed Williams with sunken cheeks and a thinner physique, hinting at the possibility that the extended space station trip had led her to lose weight.

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Speaking with the New England Sports Network Clubhouse Kids Show on Tuesday, Williams said it is all just a "rumour" and her weight remained unchanged since she first came to the ISS in June. She even shared what she had been eating - Turkish fish stew with olives and rice.

Explaining how things work in space, Williams said, "I think things shift around quite a bit". 

"You’ve probably heard of fluid shifts. Folks in space you know, their heads look a little bit bigger because the fluid evens out along the body," Williams said. 

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The 59-year-old added that even though she looked thinner, her body size had actually increased.

"My thighs are a little bit bigger, my butt is a little bit bigger. We do a lot of squats."

Williams admitted that the human body needs extra work in space. Bone density loss is a real concern as astronauts can lose up to two percent of bone density every month in their hips and spine.

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Also Read: Is prolonged stay in space affecting Sunita Williams' health? Doctor raises concern

She said exercise is important to avoid this from happening, something astronauts do for more than two hours every day. 

Doctor raises concerns about Sunita Williams' health

Earlier, Dr Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and veteran in Seattle, told Daily Mail that Williams' latest picture hints at the likelihood that she is "experiencing the natural stresses of living at a very high altitude, even in a pressurized cabin, for extended periods."

Dr Gupta said that "her cheeks appear a bit sunken" and she seems to be on a "significant calorie deficit".

Boeing Starliner problems

Boeing Starliner took Williams and Butch Wilmore to space on June 5 after considerable delays due to several issues. They were only supposed to stay there for eight days, but safety issues have led them to extend their time in space.

After docking at the ISS, it experienced more problems. NASA worked for weeks to try and fix them from Earth. However, it did not work and the Starliner was brought back without its crew in September. Williams and Wilmore are scheduled to fly back in February 2025.