A new study suggests if you want to live longer, you may want to cut back on your burger intake.

If you eat more than five ounces of red meat per week....which is about the size of a deck of cards.... you may be eating too much.

It's according to a ten year study by the National Cancer Institute that just completed.

The outcome is that many of us eat way too much red meat, which can be detrimental to our health.

The study closely followed the diets of half a milllion Americans ages 50 to 71.

Over the decade long study, those who ate the most red meat....about a quarter pound burger or small steak per day...had a 30 percent greater risk of dying, compared with those who ate the least amount of red meat.

The most likely causes of death was found to be heart disease and cancer.

"The incidents of heart disease is skyrocketing despite having better preventative medications and it's due to inadequate physical activity, excessive calories and excessive red meat," said Dr. Paul Luetmer, M.D., an intervention cardiologist at Aspirus Wausau Hospital.

In the study, red meat was considered all types of beef and pork, including: bacon, cold cuts, ham, hamburgers, hot dogs and steak.

Dr. Luetmer suggests substituting red meat for white meat more often, and just limiting meat intake and excess calories all together.

"I think people have lost all sense of what's appropriate portions. In a world of supersizing and feeling like a restaurant is a good restaurant when they give you large portions," he said.

In this study those who ate white meat every day, that includes chicken, turkey and fish, fared much better.

The co-owner of Townline Market in Wausau says we're supposed to eat meat...and he hopes the study won't turn people off all together.

"It could be very misleading because people could take it that red meat's not good for you at all, and that to me, that's not accurate," said Josh Maltbey.

The study's message is, you don't have to eat red meat every day, and for those who do....it's at your own risk.