Do Vegetarians Really Live Longer?

I have heard speculations about the life expectancy for vegetarians being longer than omnivores, so I did some research and found the truth.

On average, vegetarians do tend to live longer than meat eaters.

The consumption of fruits and vegetables on a regular basis, and the absence of fatty meats in a person's diet helps prevent many life threatening illnesses, such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

According to a study that I found on WebMD, vegetarian women live an average of 4.42 years longer than women who eat meat. Similarly, vegetarian men live an average of 7.28 years longer than meat-eating men.

These results sure do make me happy that I am a vegetarian...this is yet another reason that people should convert!