Kelly Osbourne Opens Up About Body Shaming: "I Faced More Criticism for Being Fat Than for My Drug Addiction"

Kelly Osbourne is getting candid about the harsh realities of body shaming that she has faced throughout her life. During a recent panel discussion at the Inaugural Beacher Vitality Happy & Healthy Summit held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, the 40-year-old reality star revealed that she has been judged more for her weight than for any other struggles she has encountered, including her past battles with addiction.

“We live in a fat-phobic world,” Osbourne stated, addressing the audience. “I have been a drug addict, an alcoholic … I’ve been a complete mess, disrespectful to people, horrible — but I got more s--- for being fat than I did for anything else. It’s insane.” Her words resonated with many, highlighting the stigma surrounding body image in today’s society.

Osbourne went on to explain that she has grown accustomed to receiving backhanded compliments regarding her appearance. “You’ll never read an article about me that hasn’t got a comment about my weight,” she noted, recalling how people would often say, “You’re so pretty. Why don’t you just lose a little bit of weight, and then you’ll be the total package?” Such comments, she emphasized, only serve to perpetuate the harmful narrative surrounding body image.

Reflecting on her personal journey, the former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant shared that she had tried numerous methods to lose weight over the years. “I tried probably everything that there is out there, whether it be surgery, medication, diet and exercise,” she explained. However, it wasn’t until she found herself in a better mental and emotional space that she began to see real progress in her health journey.

“I got my mind where I needed it to be, and everything started to fall into place,” she said. Osbourne emphasized that achieving a healthier lifestyle is not merely about changing one’s diet or increasing physical activity. “It’s not just as simple as change your diet and move,” she added. “You have to change your brain. You have to come to peace and acceptance about where you are in your life before you can start.”

Osbourne also acknowledged that her weight loss journey was far from straightforward, describing it as a process that unfolded in stages. She has previously discussed her decision to undergo gastric sleeve surgery, which she referred to as “the best thing I have ever done” during an appearance on the Hollywood Raw podcast in 2020. However, she was quick to clarify that the surgery was not a magical solution.

“The kind of surgery I had … if you don’t work out and you don’t eat right, you gain weight. All it does is move you in the right direction,” she explained. “So, anyone who’s thinking of doing something like this, really think about that.” Osbourne emphasized the importance of commitment to a healthy lifestyle, stating that the surgery is just one part of a larger journey.

“I had to do a year of stand-alone therapy to prepare myself for the surgery before I even had it,” she continued. “What people don’t realize is, it cuts out this hormone that if you have addiction issues, it stops your craving and it makes you not emotionally eat, which is a huge problem for me.” She reiterated that while the surgery can be beneficial, it does not resolve all underlying issues.

In a separate conversation with PEOPLE at the Clarins’ Beauty Icons event in Los Angeles on March 21, Osbourne reflected on how a series of family health scares over the past few years have shifted her perspective on life. “There’s health scare after health scare, and you have to sit there and you have to realize what is real, what is not, what is important, what is healthy, and what makes you feel the best version of yourself,” she shared.

“And that’s what I work toward, is always trying to just be the best version of me,” she added, emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance and personal growth. Osbourne’s journey serves as a reminder that the path to health and wellness is often complex and deeply personal.