- explode: documentation ( source)
<?php
$dob = new DateTime('24 June 1940');
$now = new DateTime('now');
echo year_diff($now, $dob);
function year_diff($date1, $date2) {
list($year1, $dayOfYear1) = explode(' ', $date1->format('Y z'));
list($year2, $dayOfYear2) = explode(' ', $date2->format('Y z'));
return $year1 - $year2 - ($dayOfYear1 < $dayOfYear2);
}