Little is known regarding the relationship between perceived and physiological exertion in adolescents. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between physiological and perceptual markers of effort during exercise and the relationship of these markers to other health-related behaviors in healthy weight and obese adolescents.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy weight (>5th-85th BMI percentile) or obese (>95th BMI percentile)
• male and female adolescents, 13-18 years
• Approval to participate in a submaximal and maximal treadmill test received from the adolescent's pediatrician.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Underweight (<5th BMI percentile)
• overweight (85 - <95th BMI percentile)
• evidence/reporting of significant cardiovascular disease, cardiac arrhythmias, liver disease, or the chronic use of medications including diuretics, steroids and adrenergic-stimulating agents.
• Adolescents with emotional problems such as clinical depression or other diagnosed psychological condition and currently use prescription medication for psychological conditions.
• Approval to participate in a submaximal and maximal treadmill test from the adolescent's pediatrician not obtained

Healthy weight and obese adolescents from the community