Do I need to exclude all animal products to get the health benefits of a plant-based diet?

No. You don't need to exclude every single animal product from your diet to get the benefits of eating more plants. Although there is substantial scientific evidence that a plant-based diet is the optimal diet for health and longevity, whether or not that means 100% plant based or 95% plant-based is probably secondary. What we do know instead, is that people who do live predominately on plants, seem to be the healthiest and longest-lived people on the planet. These people, found in the so called Blue Zones around the world, have much less prevalence of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and even cancer, and they are more healthy and active even in old age. These people lived on average 95% plant-based. On my page about disease prevention you can read more about different studies made on vegans or people who live mainly on plants, and what different health benefits that provides. 

To be clear, by eating animal based foods or junk food, you don't automatically get diabetes, heart disease or cancer but the more you eat of those foods the higher your risks are. And the reverse applies to plant-foods, the more you eat of them the higher your protection is. 

The World Health Organization, The American Institute for Cancer Reaserch and World Cancer Research Fund recommend people to avoid processed meat (sausages, ham, salami, bacon etc) and limit their intake of red meat (e.g. beef, pork, lamb) to a maximum of 500g (18oz) per week. The reason for that is because meat and especially processed meats are strongly link to many diseases including heart disease, diabetes and many types of cancer, especially colon cancer. For every 50g (1.8oz) processed meat that are eaten daily, the risk of colorectal cancer increases by 17%. If you are not fond of the idea of living completely plant-based, I would highly recommend you to look over your meat intake and at least follow the international recommendations regarding meat intake. 

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To summarize; having plenty of vegetables and plant foods in your otherwise omnivores diet (a diet that includes animal foods), will have a great impact on your overall health, so it doesn't have to be all or nothing, most important is to maximize your intake of health promoting foods, such as whole plant-foods, and minimize your intake of disease promoting foods, such as animal based foods and processed food.