A new report from the American Psychological Association shows just how stressful life in America was in 2020.

The APA's "Stress in America" report, published Thursday, provides a stunning example of how mental health directly impacts physical health. It comes exactly one year after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a global pandemic.

"We've gone through a collective trauma," said Arthur C. Evans, chief executive officer and executive vice president of the APA.

The resulting stress, the report found, is showing up in drastic weight changes and increased alcohol use.

The online poll, conducted in February, included responses from 3,013 adults about life over the past year. A majority — 61 percent — said their weight fluctuated in 2020. Of those, 41 percent said they'd gained more weight than they wanted to: nearly 30 pounds on average. Ten percent reported gains of more than 50 pounds.

"I'm not surprised," said Kara Caruthers, an associate professor in the physician assistant program at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine in Memphis.

Caruthers explained that when the body feels stress, a cascade of physiological changes takes place. The body releases a hormone called cortisol, which increases insulin levels in order to maintain normal blood sugar. Higher insulin levels increase fat deposits along the waistline.

Adding to the problem, more than half of respondents said their exercise levels dropped during pandemic.

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