I know several dozen "strict" vegitarians and several vegans. Down to the last person they are the unhealthiest looking people I've ever known. They are gaunt, stay sick all winter and lack energy. Forget about trying to find somewhere to go out to dinner with them too. One even suffered a broken arm (humerus bone) in flight in a hang glider under normal flight conditions. She is a nurse practitioner and knows and understands the benefits of good nutrition. She has since begun eating meat again, her color came back, she has boundless energy and she no longer stays sick during the cold and flu season.
There is a world of difference between vegetarians who eat milk products, and vegans. Vegans are nutcases who ruin their health.
I have been a milk product eating vegetarian for 35 yrs, raised two kids on the diet who have stuck with it even into adulthood, and they are healthy beautiful women.
It is the lack of milk products which destroy the health of vegans, or those whackjobs who eat only raw food.