I think your anecdote is a flawed positive correlation. Your wife's family may be largely vegan, but that doesn't strictly account for their health and wellbei

I think your anecdote is a flawed positive correlation. Your wife's family may be largely vegan, but that doesn't strictly account for their health and wellbeing vs your average obese person. I think that their veganism is part of a broader health consciousness, where they most likely pay more attention to their nutrition and exercise than do the average "morbidly obese guy" in Northern NJ. I've no doubt that if they were to practice a similar lifestyle but include meats they would look and be equally healthy. And for an equally anecdotal counterpoint: look up Crossfitters and the paleo diet, of which meat makes up a key proportion.