Phytosterols　are　well-known　for　their　cholesterol-lowering　effects,　and　the　structures　and　forms　of　phytosterols　affect　their　bioactivity.　We　aimed　to　illustrate　the　phytosterol　profiles　in　common　foods　and　estimate　their　natural　intake　in　five　geographical　regions　and　among　different　age　groups　in　China.　In　total,　12　phytosterols　in　free　and　esterified　forms　of　119　foods　from　five　regions　across　China　were　examined　using　gas　chromatography-mass　spectrometry.　Then,　the　dietary　intake　of　phytosterols　was　calculated　combined　with　the　dietary　foods　intake　data　of　Chinese　people.　The　total　phytosterol　content　was　highest　in　vegetable　oils　(150.4-1230.9　mg/100　g),　followed　by　legumes　(129.6-275.6　mg/100　g),　nuts　(18.9-255.2　mg/100　g),　and　cereals　(11.9-93.8　mg/100　g).　Vegetables　and　fruits　contained　lower　contents　of　total　phytosterols.　Phytosterols　were　mainly　esterified　in　most　common　foods　except　in　nuts.　The　predominant　phytosterols　were　beta-sitosterol,　campesterol,　and　stigmasterol,　all　of　which　belonged　to　plant　sterols　and　4-desmethylsterols.　Total　phytosterol　intake　varied　across　different　regions,　ranging　between　257.7　and　473.7　mg/standard-person　(sp)/day,　with　the　highest　intake　in　Beijing,　followed　by　Hangzhou,　Wuhan,　Chongqing,　and　Guangzhou.　However,　phytosterol　proportion　was　similar　across　regions,　with　beta-sitosterol　accounting　for　46.5-50.3%　of　the　natural　intake.　Phytosterol　intake　was　mainly　constituted　by　plant　sterols　and　4-desmethylsterols　in　esterified　form　(61.9-74.6%).　At　the　age　of　2-70　years,　phytosterol　intake　ranged　from　154.3　mg/day　to　348.0　mg/day　in　the　national　scale.