Last year, thirsty people in the northern Minnesota town of Fosston bought 2,539 bottles of sugary drinks from the local hospital's pop machines. Those sales went flat on Jan. 1 when Essentia Health-Fosston joined the small but growing trend of medical centers eliminating the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages. "We're trying to make a small step to improve the health of everyone in this area," said Kevin Gish, the hospital's administrator. Hospitals have become another arena for public health advocates who previously pushed to reduce or eliminate sugary drinks from schools and other workplaces.
