(AFP) Morgan Spurlock, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the hit 2004 documentary “Super Size Me,” has died at the age of 53 from complications stemming from cancer, his family announced Friday.

Spurlock died in New York on Thursday "surrounded by family and friends," according to a statement released through his publicist and reported by AFP.

"Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and special man," his brother, Craig Spurlock, said in the note.

“Super Size Me,” which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, portrays Spurlock's routine and physical changes over the course of a month in which he ate exclusively fast food from the McDonald's chain.

Mixed in with scenes of him eating are details about the fast-food giant's advertising techniques to keep customers happy and the real cost to the consumer, according to health experts.

The result of the experiment was that that month he gained 26.5 pounds, his cholesterol levels skyrocketed and the doctors monitoring him finally told him to abandon the diet because he began to develop liver problems.

“Super Size Me” cost $65,000 to make.