BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Babies and young toddlers shouldn't be exposed to any television, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

But adults often assume if the programming is uninteresting to children, such as news or game shows, that the kids aren't affected by it.

However, a new study has shown that toddlers are distracted by television programs even when they aren't actually watching them.

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts invited 1- to 3-year-olds in to play for an hour in their research lab, which was well-equipped with toys.

For half the time, the television played an episode of the game show Jeopardy and the other half hour it was off.

Children didn't watch the TV but they played for shorter amounts of time when it was on.

Researchers also noted the kids seemed distracted, less focused, in the presence of the TV and they said that children who grow up in households where the television is always on may have poorer mental development.