Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of healthcare utilization, disability, and mortality. Although the two conditions are not identical, the prevalence of chronic bronchitis symptoms provides an estimate of the prevalence of COPD. The 2003 Ten-Year Health Survey was conducted among a representative sample of households in metropolitan France. A self-administered questionnaire for individuals aged 45 and older was used to estimate the prevalence of chronic bronchitis. The analysis included 9,050 adults aged 45 or older. The prevalence of chronic bronchitis symptoms was 3.5%. During the interviewer’s visits, 3.4% of individuals reported having chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or chronic respiratory failure. The concordance between chronic bronchitis symptoms and self-reported disease was poor, highlighting the underdiagnosis of the condition. After adjusting for sex and age, chronic bronchitis was associated with impaired quality of life and an increased frequency of functional limitations and restrictions in daily activities. The impact of chronic bronchitis on quality of life, perceived health, and long-term activity limitations was also observed when the analysis was restricted to individuals with no or minimal dyspnea.Since this survey relied solely on self-reported data, it would be useful to include objective measures of respiratory function in future health surveys to estimate the prevalence and underdiagnosis of COPD.