Duluth hospital becomes first in Minn. to ban sales of sugary beverages

Administrators at St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth have decided to stop selling sugary drinks at its main campus and all of its clinics. The director of hospitality told the News Tribune, “What we’re learning from data that’s out there is that sugar-sweetened beverages are a significant contributor to obesity." St. Luke's is reportedly the first hospital in Minnesota to ban the beverages. The hospital will offer diet sodas, flavored water and juices with no added sugar.

Last month, a Mayo Clinic expert applauded New York City's ban on large-sodas. “Regular soda is a triple whammy, so to speak. It’s extra calories, there’s no nutritional value at all, and it may displace other foods that are healthier,” Dr. Donald Hensrud, a Mayo endocrinologist and obesity expert, said.