Yes, it's that cut and dried. Actually, they are saying you die quicker than if you eat, say, nuts; but die you will and you better stop eating that steak and hamburger if you want to live a long life.

LA Times:

Eating red meat -- any amount and any type -- appears to significantly increase the risk of premature death, according to a long-range study that examined the eating habits and health of more than 110,000 adults for more than 20 years.

For instance, adding just one 3-ounce serving of unprocessed red meat -- picture a piece of steak no bigger than a deck of cards -- to one's daily diet was associated with a 13% greater chance of dying during the course of the study.

Even worse, adding an extra daily serving of processed red meat, such as a hot dog or two slices of bacon, was linked to a 20% higher risk of death during the study.

"Any red meat you eat contributes to the risk," said An Pan, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and lead author of the study, published online Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

[...]

Eating a serving of nuts instead of beef or pork was associated with a 19% lower risk of dying during the study. The team said choosing poultry or whole grains as a substitute was linked with a 14% reduction in mortality risk; low-fat dairy or legumes, 10%; and fish, 7%.

I would gladly trade a year or two for a steak cooked to perfection on my grill or prime rib at Lawry's. That's life - making your own choices and then living with them.

This study will not make the National Cattlemen's Beef Association very happy. "Beef - It's What's For Dinner" has been a smashing success as a marketing program. No doubt the vegans and vegetarians will get a boost from this study.