Khloe Kardashian is helping her brother Rob ''through a hard time''.

The 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' star adores having her younger brother - who has retreated from the spotlight amid problems with his weight - live with her because she wants him to feel ''comfortable'' and he is able to have a lot of ''freedom''.

She said: ''Rob lives with me now, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love having him with me. I have a big ass house and I wanted it so he could feel like, comfortable.

''He's going through a hard time now. And [my home is] behind gates. With this crazy lifestyle you have to think of places where you can still have your freedom. Kourtney and Scott live in the same gated area. My nieces and nephew come over at least three times a week. I have everything, my brother's there and I love him.''

Khloe is so close to Rob, she calls him her ''son'' and she does whatever she can to look after him.

In an uncut version of her interview with Complex magazine, she said: ''I'm good with him. I never bother him.

''I just bought him a rug for his bedroom and he was so cute. He'll text me and tell me how much he likes it and he notices things. So, I like it.

''I call him my son as a joke. I'll call my assistant and be like, 'Did you guys ask if he wanted lunch?' or this or that and my sisters hate that I do that. I do baby him but I'm a maternal person.''

Khloe and her 28-year-old brother get along very well and both prefer hanging out at home to socialising in public.

She said: ''When all your friends want to go to dinner, my brother and I are like, 'No' because we just get too much anxiety.

''I don't mind having people over, but it's weird how much more withdrawn I've become than being social in public places, I guess.''