People who are vegetarian for health reasons are more likely to be healthy than the average Joe, just because the average Joe doesn't do much of anything for 'health reasons'. Typically, health-reasons vegetarians watch what they eat and exercise more.
You are completely right that being a vegetarian doesn't automatically = healthy diet.
I was a 350 pound vegetarian eating mostly pizza, pasta and pie.
I am now a 160 pound vegetarian eating mostly beans, broccoli and bananas.
I don't buy that 'lean, grass fed, free range, omega 3 rich, antibiotic/hormone free anmial protein' are ABSOLUTELY VITAL. If it were, then I, as a vegetarian, should be dead. But so would 99% of the meat-eaters out there since very few spend the extra cash for grass-fed, free range, etc. Vital means 'absolutely necessary' which is obviously not the case.
FYI - I am a vegetarian for moral/environmental reasons. However, I don't feel that I am deprived in any way for not eating meat, and like I said earlier in this thread, my doctor said I was in absolutely perfect health and I feel like I'm in perfect health... best health I have ever been in.
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