Expert warns: Beware what your health apps are sharing

TAMPA, Fla. - Walkers, runners and bikers have gained a little extra motivation during their workouts thanks to health and fitness apps. While there are many positives, there can also be drawbacks.

Brian Jack, the chief information security officer of Know Be4, says you have to be careful in choosing the apps that you are using.

"If the application is free, you are likely the product. They are going to monetize somehow and if you're not paying for it they're going to have the rights to share your data with marketers or advertisers so that they can make money."

Information such as pre-existing conditions plugged into an app could come back to bite you down the road with insurance companies.

"If you have any sort of conditions with your heart, maybe an irregular heartbeat, based on some sort of watch that you're wearing might track your heartbeat,  they might decide that they don't want to pay out a claim because a lot of times those things are excluded from the insurance companies paying out for medical insurance claims,” said Jack.

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Hackers could also use that information to track your fitness routines.  

"That would be a really good time to, maybe, go by your house, break into your house, or maybe if they wanted to stalk you or track you they would know where you were when you were there, your habits when you like to run,” he continued.

Before you download an app, check out the privacy policy. 

"Actually understand when you sign up to use this app, this is where this data is going to go. And if you're OK with that, then great. And if not, then maybe you should find a different app to use, or not use them at all.”