Luck, fish and chips: World’s oldest man, 111, reveals secrets to longevity

The world’s oldest man says the secret to his longevity is luck, moderation – and eating fish and chips every Friday.

111-year-old Englishman John Alfred Tinniswood has been confirmed by Guinness World Records as the new holder of the title. Venezuelan record holder Juan Vicente Perez died this month at the age of 114. The second-oldest Japanese, Sonobe Yoshizaburo, died on March 31 at the age of 112.

Tinniswood received a certificate from Guinness World Records on Thursday at the nursing home where she lives in Southport, northwest England.

Born in Liverpool on August 26, 1912, a few months after the sinking of the Titanic, Tinniswood lived through both world wars and served in the British Army Pay Corps during the Second World War.

The retired accountant and great-grandfather says moderation is the key to healthy living. He never smoked, rarely drank alcohol and had no special dietary habits apart from a weekly fish and chip dinner.

“If you drink too much, or eat too much, or walk too much – if you do too much – you will eventually suffer,” Tinniswood told Guinness World Records.

But in the end, he said, “It’s pure luck. You either live a long life or a short life, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

The world’s oldest woman and oldest living person is 117-year-old Maria Branyas Morera from Spain.