Vegans are healthier long term than their meat eating counterparts. Vegans have much less instance of diseases, heart problems, obesity, and will even get colds and flu less frequently than meat eaters. I became a vegan last summer, and so did my son. The winter before we became vegan, my son had gotten no fewer than six colds. This last winter on a vegan diet he has not even had a runny nose or a cough. He is taller, more muscular, and has better sleeping patterns than the average for children his age. So if you are vegan don't worry about long term...you'll live a very long, healthy life if you stay vegan