The world oldest man has died at the age of 111.

Alexander Imich, born February 4 1903, died yesterday morning at a hospital in Manhattan.

His friends Michael Mannion and Trish Corbett were taking care of him and confirmed his death to reporters.

Mr Imich was raised by a secular Jewish family in Poland before settling in America.

In a recent interview with the JC, he revealed that the secret to living such a long life was a restricted diet, athletic lifestyle and a penchant for chicken soup.

It is believed he spent his final days at the nursing home which he has lived in since 1986.

Mr Imich, lost many of his family members in the Holocaust, although he (along with his late wife, Wela, who died in 1986) fled Poland when the Nazis invaded in 1939.

They escaped to the Soviet-occupied Bialystok, where they came to a Soviet labor camp.

After the liberation they moved to Samarkand (today's Uzbekistan), and in 1951, both immigrated to Waterbury, Connecticut, USA.

He was confirmed as the world’s oldest man after previous record holder, Arturo Licata from Italy, died days before his 112 birthday.

Mr Imich completed a PhD in chemistry in 1927 and went on to build a successful career in science.