Vegetarians are healthier than non-vegetarians not because they just dont meat. They might be healthier because non-vegetarians usually eat way too much meat and vegetarians may be "healthier" because they are more likely to include healthy alternatives in place of meat.

The Okinawa diet, for instance, has been studied extensively because the people there have pretty much the highest life expectancy in the world. Usually, "asian" diets are considered healthy. They do, however, contain meat in their diet. But many Westerners consume two to three times the amount of meat people in East Asia do. Not only that, but Americans eat the poorest kind of meat choices-pepperoni, salami, other preserved meats which contain nitrates and may cause cancer. They also dont include enough fish, which is a healthier alternative to beef.

Also, if you're a vegetarian, but eating white bread and cheese sticks everyday, you wont be healthier than someone who eats a wide variety of foods, including, say, beef, vegetables, and whole grains.