I'm with you there Polly.
Short life-spans run in our family but from different causes, maybe inherent bad luck. But looking back on the early exits none of them fitted the fat glutton pattern, in fact some were extremely fit and only 2 of the 8 short-lived close rels had their hearts take them out. The longer survivors were no nutrition nazis either. The most recent departure at 85 was a KFC and Chinese food addict. His family brought take-aways to the hospice for him. None of that hospital food for him. Cancer killed him, not the KFC. He was philosophically content with his life, and with it's ending, and kept saying "I can't believe how lucky I've been, to have had such a great life." Haven't heard too many vegans looking at life that way.
60 is the magic average among us so I figured early to make my span as interesting a journey as possible. Quality over quantity and eat accordingly. I won't be ordering a salad on my deathbed either.
I've managed to get a bit of distance past that magic 'use by' date so no regrets with the dietary decisions, like him, I'm on a roll.
As someone pointed out once, people who want to live a long time don't seem to realize that those extra 10 years they add on to their lives aren't 20 year old quality years. They're 80 to 90 year old quality years. The goal of spending an extra few years in a nursing home doesn't appeal enough to me to give up eating what and when I like. I'd rather choke on a piece of medium-rare, well marbled steak than on a lettuce leaf or a Mung bean.
Sure diet can kill some, it depends on your body type and it's processing capabilities. It also depends on your attitude to life and whether quality or quantity of years is the priority.
I've seen quite elderly people who have to all intents and purposes simply lived one basically miserable, painfully restricted, boring and unhealthy year, 20 extra times. What's the point of that?