Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how In Shape collects, uses, and protects information from visitors to this website. We are committed to handling your data with transparency and respect — especially given the sensitive health topics we cover.

1. Who we are

In Shape is an independent health information publication. Our editorial content is written and reviewed by qualified health professionals and is intended solely to provide general health information — not to diagnose, treat, or replace professional medical advice.

For any privacy-related questions, you can contact our team at the address listed at the bottom of this page.

2. What information we collect

Information you provide directly

We may collect personal information if you choose to interact with us — for example, by subscribing to a newsletter or sending a message through our contact form. This may include:

• Name and email address (for newsletter subscriptions)
• Message content and contact details (if you reach out to us)

Information collected automatically

Like most websites, we automatically collect certain technical information when you visit, including:

• IP address (anonymized where possible)
• Browser type, language, and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referral source (how you arrived at our site)

3. How we use that information

We use the information we collect only for the following purposes:

• To deliver and improve our editorial content
• To respond to messages or questions sent to us
• To send newsletters, if you have subscribed (with your consent)
• To understand aggregate traffic patterns and improve site performance
• To comply with legal obligations

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for marketing purposes.

4. Cookies and analytics

We use cookies — small text files stored on your device — to help the site function correctly and to understand how visitors use it. These include:

• Essential cookies: required for basic site functionality.
• Analytics cookies: used to measure page views and traffic sources in aggregate. We use tools such as Google Analytics with IP anonymization enabled.
• Preference cookies: to remember settings you've chosen, such as language.

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of the site.

5. Third parties

In Shape does not display advertising and is not financially supported by supplement companies, pharmaceutical brands, or any health product vendors. However, some third-party services we rely on for site infrastructure may process limited data on our behalf, including:

• Our hosting provider (for site delivery and uptime)
• Analytics platforms (for aggregate traffic analysis)
• Email delivery services (if you subscribe to our newsletter)

All third-party services we use are required to handle your data securely and in accordance with applicable privacy regulations.

6. Your rights

Depending on your country of residence, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: request a copy of the data we hold about you.
• Correction: ask us to update inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion: request that we delete your personal data.
• Objection: object to certain types of processing, such as direct marketing.
• Portability: receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Withdrawal of consent: if processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in the last section of this page. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Data retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law. Newsletter subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe. Contact form messages are retained for up to 12 months.

8. Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. Our site uses HTTPS encryption for all data transmission.

No online transmission is 100% secure. We recommend you avoid sharing sensitive personal information through contact forms or email unless necessary.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we do, we will update the date at the top of this page. Continued use of In Shape after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact us